Two Sides of a Sword
by Ayame-chan
Summary: *Chp 18!!* Aoshi's long lost sister returns to Japan after an endless twelve years of being presumed dead. Former enemies of the Okashira come back to haunt him and he must protect Misao at all costs, but doesn't know how. Imouto-chan to the rescue!
1. Default Chapter

Rurouni Kenshin: Two Sides of a Sword

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, Ayame-chan has done it again! Yet another RK fanfic! This time: Shinomori Aoshi's long lost sister returns after more than twelve years presumed dead. Be warned, be afraid, be VERY afraid because this has come from the wacky mind of Ayame-chan!

_DISCLAIMERS_:

1) In my fantasy world, I own Rurouni Kenshin (who doesn't?). In the real world, I don't. They belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Jump Comics, and other misc. companies that I can't name. 

2) I also don't own _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_ from where I got the idea from. They belong to...those guys who made them. I'm sorry but I forgot! Oh, wait, it's by Sony and producer/director Angst Lee! ...I think O_o

3) All the characters that I made up are mine! If you want to use them (Ikumi, for example), then you gotta ask me first or face my wrath!

WARNING: This takes place two years after the Revenge Arc, so spoilers galore!

Thanks to the help of my three lovely emergency muses: Taka-neko, Chichiri, and Tasuki for helping me accomplish this feat!

Chichiri: Anno...you alread had the idea before you got us, Ayame-chan, no da...

*blinks* I did?

Tasuki: Yes, you did! Che, have you been sleeping well these past few weeks, Ayame-chan?

...No...

Tama-neko: Mreow.

Okay, okay! I get the idea: I should get some rest...

(NOTE: If you don't know who my muses are, then read [Ayame-chan's Search for the Perfect Muse][1])

[Chapter One ~ Return][2]

Back to [HOME][3] or to the [FANFICS][4]

   [1]: search1.htm
   [2]: sword1.htm
   [3]: main1.htm
   [4]: fanfics.htm



	2. Return

Two Sides of a Sword: Return

~Return~

A ship blew its horn in the distance as it entered in the docks of Tokyo Harbor. The sun slowly peeked over the horizon as morning dawned, and the mist began to fade away. The ship anchored at port and the morning crew began its daily work. People from foreign lands piled out of the ship, each and every one fascinated by the beauty and serenity of Japan.

Two people stepped out of the ship, talking excitedly to one another.

"Tokyo has changed so much, hasn't it?" one of them asked.

"Sou ne, it has," the other agreed. "Demo, it's been such a long time since we've been back."

They continued to talk as a young woman stepped out onto the dock behind them. She wore a navy blue Chinese outfit, her long, dar, hair tied at the nape of her neck by a thick, matching band. She looked at the ever-changing city before her with sapphire eyes and smiled sadly to herself.

"It sure has," she mumured softly. "It's been twelve years since I was taken away from home."

later that day ~ Akabeko

Sanosuke once again smacked Kaoru's chopsticks away from the boiling pot of stew and snatched the piece of beef that she was aiming for. He chewed away happily.

That was the third time he did that to her, and Kaoru was angry. Really angry. Coming back after two years in Mongolia or not, Kaoru was going to make Sanosuke pay. Giving one glare that said _You do that again, you die_, she quickly picked up all the food she wanted and gobbled it all up.

Sanosuke, Kenshin, and Yahiko stared at the woman in awe as she continued to eat even more. Sanosuke was especially surprised because he'd never seen Kaoru eat so much. Well, he hadn't seen her or the others in two years, so a lot of things have changed. 

Kenshin and Kaoru married a year after he left and they sent him a picutre of their wedding day. Even after all this time, Sanosuke still wasn't used to the fact that a photograph took an exact replica of everbody. But he was happy that the two were together now or else he'd have to cream Kenshin to pieces.

Megumi was now a famous doctor in Aizu. She rarely ever visits due to so many patients but managed to come to Kenshin and Kaoru's wedding. And Yahiko was still Yahiko. He matured a bit, but not by much.

"Che, Jou-chan, never knew that you ate so much," Sanosuke joked. "Keep on eating like that and you're going to lose the dojo!"

She glared at him again, swallowing her food. "Keep on saying things like that, Sano, and you're going to wish that you never came back here."

"I was just kidding!" he replied, laughing nervously. _She still didn't forget that I owe her money._ "Geez, you take things so seriously."

"She takes everything seriously nowadays," Yahiko commented nonchalantly, scooping in some more rice into his bowl.

He was immediately whacked on the head by a wooden spoon. 

"You're one to talk, Yahiko-chan," Kaoru retorted as sweetly as she could.

"Stop calling me that, busu!"

"What was that?!?"

"Maa, maa, Kaoru, Yahiko," Kenshin tried to calm the raging master and student.

Sanosuke couldn't help but laugh. "Che, some things never change."

"What does that mean?!?" asked an angry duo of Kaoru and Yahiko.

"Are you crazy?!?" a voice bellowed fro mthe booth across from them.

The booth across from where the Kenshingumi was at were a group of foreigners who had one too many cups of sake. They were arguing a bit too loudly.

"That plan'll be just laid to waste!" one of the men replied and took another swing of sake.

"Than what do you plan on doing?" the man next to him slurred.

"Some bad things don't change, either," Sanosuke muttered.

"More and more visitors everyday come to see the city," Kaoru informed.

"Although some are a bunch of people who like to get drunk," Yahiko stated.

Their arguement began to climb over normal conversational voices and caught the attention of customers who were covering their ears due to the yelling.

"Can't they take this outside or something?" Yahiko shouted, covering his ears. 

"Maa, they should, de gozaru," Kenshin shouted back and then opened his eyes to find Kaoru out of her seat and walking towards the drunks, a look of annoyance on her face. "K-Kaoru! What are you doing, de gozaru?"

Kaoru ignored her husband's protests and stepped in front of the drunk men's booth, hands on her hips. The men stopped shouting.

"What the hell do you want?" one of them asked rather rudely.

"Keep your voices down," Kaoru sharply replied. "This is a restaurant and if you want to discuss something in that loud of a voice, then talk outside!"

One of the men boldly stood up, teetering a bit, to his full stature of six feet and odd inches. He stared down at Kaoru who was the least bit unintimidated. Kenshin was about to intervene when Tae stepped in to protect her.

"How dare you talk to us like that, woman!" he bellowed.

"I can talk to anybody however I want!" Kaoru snapped back.

"Anno, onegai, we don't want too much of a disturbance here and you gentlemen ---" Tae was cut off.

Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko were already crouching to get up.

"Shaddup! Who asked women to stick their asses in here?!?" the man shouted and smacked Tae in the face who ran into Kaoru behind her and they both stumbled back off balance.

They didn't fall, though. Instead, they were caught by the young woman at the dock.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" she asked softly.

Kaoru and Tae nodded. They stepped aside. Now, the other drunks have stood.

"Oh, so another woman sticks her ass in, eh?" one of them said rather insultingly.

"Oh, I thought that it's a man's rule to not hit a woman, in your culture," the woman cleverly replied, icily staring back at them.

"What did you say?!?" the same man replied, outraged.

"You heard what I said," the woman answered calmly. Then she clicked her tongue in disgust, adding, "Che, I come here for a visit and then you foreigners just had to ruin my day. How many more of you have to come and corrupt the countries far away from your own?"

"A Chinese woman who speaks Japanese fluently," Yahiko murmured. "That's funny."

"Ie, by her accent, it seems like she used to live around Kyoto," Kenshin corrected him. 

"Oi, Kenshin, how can you tell?"

Kenshin remained silent, refusing to answer the question. Instead, he stared intently at the woman with slightly narrowed eyes. _Her eyes, why do those eyes remind me of someone?_

"Look who's talking, woman," the six foot, odd inch man retorted.

"Even though I wear clothing from a different country doesn't mean that I'm a native of that country," the woman pointed out rather slyly.

"Are you looking for a fight?!?" another drunk growled.

"Thee are a lot of civilians and tourists here," the woman pointed out yet again with the same calm, gesturing to the customers in the booths nearby. "I'd rather not fight in here. In China, I probably would've. But if you want to get the hot head of your cooled off, then you go outside and we'll settle it there."

The men had had enough. "Alright! Outside, now!"

Akabeko ~ outside

People crowed the sides of the streets as the showdown took place. The group of drunks were on one end, the woman by herself on the other. The largest of the men stepped out, slamming his fists together as if imagining that her head will be crushed like an insect. He stood around seven feet tall and towered over the woman. She didn't seem to care, however, with her arms behind her back and staring up at hin with an eerie calm in her demeanor.

"You're going to pay for all the shit you talked to us, bitch," he growled.

The woman just smiled at the rather colorful language used. "We'll see about that. I'll let you go easy. Three open shots if you can catch me. And I won't use my hands."

The drunk smiled grimly and charged forward, yelling out a battle cry with his fist raised. He attacked, but only attacked the air in front of him. Still in shock, the woman used this to advantage while still in the air and accomplished an amazing amount of hits to the drunk's back with only kicks. The drunk was sent flying into the dirt road. The woman gracefully landed back on the ground, her hands still behind her.

"Uso...she's good," Yahiko murmured in awe.

Sanosuke's eyes narrowed. He'd seen those types of moves before.

The drunk never got up after that. His friends, however, were furious.

"You bitch!" one yelled. He signaled to the others. "C'mon, let's get her!"

"I wonder if I should stop this, de gozaru ka," Kenshin asked himself.

"Why bother? She seems to be the type who can take care of herself," Sanosuke pointed out as they continued to watch. 

They all converged on her so that she would have no escape. But she did escape by jumping into the sky, skillfully flipping over the drunks and landing in a catlike position on the ground. Some of the men ran into each other, knocking one another senseless.

The onlookers laughed at them as if they were clowns in a circus. The jeering made the drunks even angrier. They finally got up and attacked the woman again. Instead of dodging, the woman resorted to China's grand tradition of martial arts. 

Most of the onlookers could see were a blur of blue and men falling. Kenshin and Sanosuke, however, saw more than just that. The woman was very skilled indeed and was just as fast as Kenshin. Any item within her reach became a weapon. A bowl laid out nearby smached onto the head of one man, rendering unconscious. An empty wooden pole used to hang fish turned into a spear, striking multiple targets in one blow. When broken in half, it became even more deadly. 

In just a matter of minutes, all of the drunken foreigners lay in a heap of unconsciousness. The audience clapped and cheered for the woman who stood victorious and a bit embarassed as she set the broken halves of the pole down.

"Oh, you were great! Kick ass!" someone shouted.

The crowd dispersed, leaving only the Kenshingumi, Tae, and the woman.

"Arigatou gozaimashta," Tae thanked. "Those men have been such a nuisance to the local shops."

"It's not much," the woman replied meekly. "I just do what I think is right."

"You're not from China, aren't you, de gozaru?" Kenshin asked. "By your accent, you were from Kyoto, de gozaru."

"Hai, I am," the woman replied.

"That was so cool! You, like, took them all down as fast as Kenshin did!" Yahiko exclaimed in excitement. "Can you teach me some of those moves?!?"

Kaoru bonked him on the head. "Yahiko, you have enough already being the teacher at the dojo."

The woman smiled at Yahiko. "Well, it takes a lot of years of practice to perfect the school."

"Are you going to stay here?" Kaoru asked. "You can stay where we live if you're not going to an inn."

"I don't want to intru--"

"Daijoubu. You helped Kaoru from not injuring herself, de gozaru," Kenshin assured. "It's the least that we can give you for helping."

"Arigatou," the woman replied.

"What's your name?" Kaoru asked.

"Shinomori. Shinomori Ikumi, desu."

"Shinomori?" Sanosuke asked in disbelief. "Matte, are you related to Shinomori Aoshi?!?"

Ikumi was a bit startled, but nodded. "Hai, I'm his imouto."

AYAME-CHAN SAYS: Bwuahahahahaha, that's it fer now! Please R&R!


	3. Sibling Reunion

Two Sides of a Sword: Sibling Reunion

AYAME-CHAN SAYS: Aiyaa!!! Gomen nasai!!!! I took a bit too long on this chapter, didn't I? Well, I have something called high school. And high school has finals. And finals are EVIL. So are projects, too, but that's not the point. Anyhoo, enjoy and please continue on reviewing!! 

~Sibling Reunion~

The sun was peeking over the horizon as morning dawned. Ikumi woke up early to pack her things and get ready to leave. She slid the door open softly to find herself not the only one awake in the household. Out in the area near the dojo, Yahiko was practicing his morning swings with Kaoru watching on the porch and instructing. The smell of food drifted around the home. Ikumi walked over to Kaoru and sat down next to her to watch.

"Ohayou, Ikumi-san!" Kaoru greeted her warmly.

"Ohayou, Kaoru-san," Ikumi softly greeted back. They watched Yahiko's practice swings together.

"Ne, Ikumi-san, when do you plan on leaving?" Kaoru asked. 

Ikumi smiled. "Maa, I have to particular time. Probably today, though, because I have to see someone."

"So you're going to Kyoto?"

She nodded. "Hai. It's been a while since I've seen my brother and the others. I'm not sure if they'll recognize me."

"Why's that?"

"Ikumi-san!" Yahiko interrupted. He had stopped practicing. "Ne, can you teach me some moves from your school?"

"Yahiko," Kaoru frowned, "I told you that you have enough to do already!"

"Ie, that's okay," Ikumi interrupted as she stood up. "I'll just show him some of the basics if that's alright with you."

Kaoru thought for a moment and then nodded. She began to watch for a bit and then noticed something peek out of Ikumi's bag. It looked like the hilt of something, but she wasn't exactly sure. The designs were intricate swirls of what looked to be some sort of serpent. Curiosity took over her as Kaoru pulled out the object to reveal a beautifully deocrated sword. At first she thought it was a Chinese sword, but looking at the flimsy blade, it curved like a Japanese nihountou.

_It's heavy, _Kaoru thought as she felt her fingers along the flat of the blade. The blade was also intricately designed with a mixture of vine and petals encrypted in jade. _But the blade's so thin..._

"Kaoru-san?"

She was startled a bit and looked up at Ikumi hesitantly. "Ah, gomen, Ikumi-san, I didn't mean to snoop..."

Ikumi smiled and sat back down next to her, leaving Yahiko desperately trying to balance himself on a log in a handstand.

"Daijoubu. You can look if you'd like," she reassured. "I don't have anything to hide."

Kaoru felt relieved and began to examine to weapon further. "Is this yours?"

"Maa, I guess you can say it's mine," Ikumi replied. "It used to belong to someone I was close to."

She wouldn't go any further. Kaoru decided that it was none of her business to ask any more.

"Sou ka," she commented. "Demo, it's really pretty. I like the color of it. It's jade, isn't it?"

Ikumi nodded. "Hai. It's a rare weapon, shikashi, I don't use it that often."

"You really never have a mixture of Japanese and Chinese in weapons," Kaoru continued. "Demo, why is it so heavy? The blade looks like it's as thin as paper."

"The hilt makes the nihountou heavy," Ikumi explained. "It's a counterbalance for the blade."

"Oh, I really never thought of that..."

"Heh, heh, heh. I did it!" Yahiko shouted, interrupting their conversation.

Yahiko had managed to balance himself in the handstand. However, all the blood was rushing to his head and he was as red as a tomato.

Ikumi smiled. "Good, now try to do ten pushups in that position."

"NANI?!?!?"

Kaoru couldn't help but burst into hysterical laughter. The laughter soon spread to Ikumi, and the two women laughed their hearts out while Yahiko sat back upright, a bit lightheaded, and seethed in anger.

later that morning

Ikumi stood at the gate, saying her goodbyes to the Kenshingumi.

"Arigatou for letting me stay with you," Ikumi bowed.

"Daijoubu. You're welcome anytime, Ikumi-san," Kaoru said. "Just say 'hello' to Misao and everyone."

Ikumi let out a short laugh and nodded. "Hai, I'll be sure to tell them that."

"And tell your aniki hell as well, de gozaru yo," Kenshin added.

"Hai, I will." She bowed her head once more and set off.

The Kenshingumi watched her go.

Sanosuke scratched the back of his head. "Maa, she doesn't act like her brother at all. If it wasn't for their looks, I wouldn't be convinced that she's Aoshi's imouto."

"Aa, she's quiet at first, but is a bit more talkative later on, de gozaru na," Kenshin agreed.

"I wouldn't say that she's quiet. More like shy, anata," Kaoru pointed out. "Demo, she's a nice person once you get to know her."

"Ikumi-san's cool," Yahiko concluded. "She's not like Aoshi at all."

later that day in Kyoto ~ Aoiya

A soft knock came to his door and disrupted his meditation. The only person who knocked was the one person that Shinomori Aoshi tried to avoid at all costs. He opened his eyes.

"Nani, Misao?" he asked quietly to the door.

"Anno...Aoshi-sama, I brought you some tea," Misao's voice answered.

Aoshi closed his eyes again. "Come in."

The door slid open for a moment then closed again as Misao entered and gently set the tray down in front of him. To Aoshi, Misao had greatly changed over the past two years since he came back, but he didn't want to admit it. Instead of being the spunky little girl that he'd always known, she'd blossomed into a beautiful young woman. One that the guys would go after for marriage if it wasn't for fear of the former Okashira.

_So much time has passed. Am I willing to accept happiness?_ Aoshi thought to himself before opening his eyes to accept the tea.

Misao gently set the pot down and settled down, staring silently at her hands. _Should I go, or should I leave?_

A few moments of silence and no reply from Aoshi who avoided meeting her face.

He stared back at the green-like mixture in his cup instead. _...I don't deserve to be happy. No, I can't do that to her._

_Well, if he's not going to say anything, I might as well leave,_ Misao thought sadly and began to get up.

"Aoshi-sama, if you don't ----"

"Ie, Misao," he replied abruptly. "Stay."

Stunned for a few moments, Misao sat back down. Her heart began to beat faster. "H-hai." _Did he say 'stay'?_

More silence, but no words needed to be spoken. Aoshi, though, was contemplating with his thoughts. 

_Why did I say that? Why didn't I just let her leave? _he asked himself.

**_It's because you're slowly accepting the face that Misao means more to you than what you think,_** his inner conscious answered.

Aoshi refused to accept it, but he was beginning to wonder if that fact was true...

Kyoto ~ early evening

It would take a normal person two or three days to reach Kyoto by foot. But Shinomori Ikumi wasn't your typical woman. Travelling alone meant that you could do as you please without anybody bugging you that you should rest. So, Ikumi used her speed to reach the city by sunset.

As she set foot on it, the natives began to look and stare. She wasn't surprised, though. Wearing yet another Chinese outfit that she brought with her, she looked exactly like a foreigner. The last kimono that Ikumi ever wore was five sizes too small now, and given to a child. 

Some people whispered to one another, but one look from Ikumi made them turn and walk away. Nothing had changed much, so it was easy for Ikumi to find her way through the city. She stopped in front of an inn, once the Kyoto Obiwanshuu's headquarters. Memories began to flood back in on that dreadful day that would change her life forever.

**"Lemme go! Oniichan! Oniichan, help me!! No, lemme go!! ONIICHAN!!!!!!"**

Ikumi quickly shook her head to get rid of that memory. _It's been twelve years, and you've been through that already. Just step in and hope that Gramp's still alive._

She took a deep breath and entered in the Aoiya.

inside

"Irrashimase!" Okon greeted cheerfully at the entrance of a customer. "Can I help you with anything this evening?"

Ikumi was a bit startled, trying to compose herself. "A-anno, I'm...I'm looking for someone..."

_She looks familiar, _Okon thought and cocked her head to the side to see if the young woman was going to finish her sentence.

By that time, Okina had walked in. "Oh, Okon, this soup is too..."

He never finished his sentence because he dropped his bowl in shock. Okon turned to him. "Okina, daijoubu?"

"You-you couldn't be," Okina said as he walked towards Ikumi, arms reaching. "Those eyes, that face..."

"Okina, you know this woman?" Okon asked, a bit confused.

Ikumi smiled with relief, glad that Okina had still recognized her after all these years. She resisted the urge to run to him in a big hug as she remained still.

"Jii-chan, you're doing well," she replied.

Okina grabbed her in a bear hug. "Ikumi!!!! Kami-sama, you're alive!!!!"

Okon's jaw dropped to the floor. _U-uso!!!_

in Aoshi's room

Okina's yelling apparantly was so loud that it got to the attention of Aoshi and Misao.

"Nani?" Aoshi asked in his usual quiet, monotonous tone.

"Jii-chan's happy about something," Misao explained, but she knew that Aoshi knew that already. He wanted to know what Okina was happy about.

A familiar twinge in his mind came to him. _That ki...masaka...._

He stood up followed by Misao. "Doushta no, Aoshi-sama?"

_I have to make sure..._ he thought. "Why don't we got see what Okina's shouting about?"

back at the front...

"You're alive!! It's really you!! How have you been all these years, Iku-chan?!?" Okina shouted with joy.

Unfortunately, he had hugged her so hard that she couldn't move nevertheless speak. "Um...Jii-chan..." she managed to say. "I can't breathe."

Okina immediately released her from his hug. "Ah, gomen, Iku-chan, I just wanted to see if you were real or not."

Ikumi arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Are you still chasing after women?"

"Oh, is he ever!" Okon answered for him. "He's worse than before, Iku-chan!"

"Now, Okon, is that a way to talk to your elders?" Okina protested.

Misao was the first to come downstairs. "Jii-chan, nani ko---"

Her memory was still good, even if the person before her disappeared when she was just a child. Misao ran to Ikumi. "IKU-CHAN!!!!"

Ikumi ran to Misao, dropping her back which landed on the floor with a thud. "MISAO-CHAN!!!!"

They embraced in a hug and then began jumping around in circles. "Wai, wai, wai...."

"How in the world can you still be alive?!? We all thought that you were dead after those guys took you!" Misao asked.

"Whaddya mean how in the world can I still be alive?!?" Ikumi retorted, totally relaxing. "Even if I did die, they'd still have to face my wrath!"

Much chattering continued as Aoshi came down. He paused in midstep, in shock, as all the chattering ceased.

"I-Ikumi?!?"

Ikumi turned toward her brother and smiled softly. "Tadaima, aniki." 


	4. Big Sister, Little Sister

Two Sides of a Sword: Big Sister, Little Sister

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This will be in 3 POVs (Points of Views): Aoshi, Misao, and Ikumi.

~Big Sister, Little Sister~

AOSHI'S POV

Twelve years. A simple phrase, yet a long time to endure. Enough time for someone to change, for someone to shut oneself up from the outside world. Imouto-chan, you've been gone for so long, and now you come back a grown woman but with still the same kind personality and heart that you had when you were still a child. Just like how Misao is.

"Tadaima, aniki," you greeted me warmly with a soft smile on your face.

What could I say? "How did you manage to survive?"? "Do you blame me for not saving you in time?"? Ie, from so many years of masking my own feelings, all I could do was nod silently. You looked at me peculiarly, but then just smiled. I had a felling that you were going to talk to me much later...

MISAO'S POV

Gods, it's been how long since I've seen you? Since, what, when I was eight and you, two years older?

The Oniwanbanshuu has always been my family. Always have, and always will. But nobody was around my age except for you. You've always been like an older sister to me, one who always stood up for me, one who always listened. Even when Aoshi-sama was appointed Okashira by Jiya, you still helped me. Gave me lessons when nobody else wanted to, or thought that it wasn't necessary for me to.

And on the day those baka thieves raided our original base and took you away from us, you still protected me by shoving me into a closet just before they kidnapped you. We promised to be sisters, and sisters we were...and still. 

Arigatou na, oneechan.

AOSHI'S POV

"You never answered my question!" Misao shouted at you. "How did you survive?!?"

"A woman on the ship saved me," you replied. "Actually," you began to laugh, "I shouldn't call her a woman. She's my sensei."

I arched an eyebrow at this comment. There was something in your eyes that said you were hiding something from us.

"Oh, so you mean you got to learn martial arts?!?" Misao exclaimed. "Sugoi!!"

You blushed slightly. I shook my head lightly. You and Misao were total opposites, but the best of friends.

"Maa, it ain't easy as you think! It took me four years to master the Wandon school," you tried to point out to Misao to avoid from teaching her anything. "And it's really hard! I BARELY made it through the training!"

The two of you went into the kitchen to talk some more and the others followed. I remained where I was at the stairs, alone. I shook my head again and sighed, knowing that you were going to lecture me on something or asking me tons of questions. There were only two people who could do that to me: you and Misao. I include Misao because I could tell that she's trying to pry me open. Going back to my room, my thoughts pondered on Misao again. I couldn't get her out of my mind. Every time Misao visited, it was getting harder and harder to not stare at her. She wasn't the spunky little girl anymore, but a grown woman. But I can't let myself think that: to let her in because I'm afraid of losing her like how I lost Ikumi.

IKUMI'S POV

It was great to be back home. Nothing had changed much, well, except for the fact that Hannya, Beshimi, Shikijou, and Hyottoko are dead. I couldn't believe it the first time when Jiya told me. Those four were the best of the Oniwanbanshuu, and now they were dead. Shot down like flies.

"Jiya, that's impossible!" I cried out to him as we sat alone in his room having some tea.

"I'm afraid it is, Iku-chan," Jiya answered a bit gravely. "Your brother was there. He was wounded by the gunshots trying to save Hannya. At least, that's why Himura told me."

"Himura?" That name popped up in my head like a knife. "Do you mean Himura Kenshin?"

Jiya seemed to be a bit surprised but managed to regain his composure. "You know him?"

"I met him and his friends the other day when I first arrived in Tokyo," I answered him. "I...ah...." Now how was I gonna explain to him that I beat up a bunch of foreign drunks?? "I....kinda helped them in a..."

"Iku-chan, just spit it out," Jiya said.

I took a deep breath. I hated getting guilty after doing something I knew was right. "I beat up a bunch of drunks after they harassed Himura's wife, Kaoru-san, and the owner of the restaurant."

"You mean you kicked their asses," Jiya remarked, grinning.

"Well...yeah...."

Jiya burst into laughter. "That's my girl! Good job!"

"Jiya, if everybody was gunned down, then why didn't aniki get killed?" I asked him. I hated straying off the subject for long.

His face got serious again. I always wondered how he could do that, but I guess it's part of how he used to live back during the Bakumatsu.

"The others sacraficed their lives, saving him," he replied. "Now, I'm sure Aoshi still feels the same way as he did then when they were killed and now."

I nodded in understanding. My brother was the type who absolutely LOVED guilt trips.

"He went a bit insane for quite a while after their deaths," Jiya added.

That snapped be back into reality. "Nani?"

"Aoshi wanted to return their deaths by getting the title of the strongest from Himura. He even turned against us and joined forces with Shishio Makoto."

I stared down at the reflection that stared back at me in my cup of tea. "I heard about that..."

"But you didn't believe it was true?" Jiya finished my statement. I looked up and he grinned again. "You're as easy to read as a book sometimes."

"So...then, what happened?"

"Himura brought him back. You should've seen how happy Misao-chan was," he shook his head. "Afterwards, you see him like he is today..."

"Quiet, antisocial, and always meditating," I finished as Jiya looked up at me. I grinned. "That was a train of thought. I know him too well."

"Maa, speaking of those two..." Jiya began to say, putting a hand on his mouth and leaned closer. I leaned in too because I know that Jiya wanted me to do something. I got an idea in my mind that those two liked each other, but I listened anyway. Those are one of my good traits.

MISAO'S POV

It was already getting dark. Iku-chan went to talk with Jiya...or rather the other way around. Aoshi-sama went back to his room and meditating again, so it was next to impossible to talk to him now. Dammit, I was _this_ close! He let me stay, which was a shock, then Jiya just had to yell. Well, I don't blame him for yelling because Iku-chan was back.

But now...I had nothing to do, and it was driving me nuts. So I resorted to looking up at the stars, waiting for a shooting star to come by.

Oh, Aoshi-sama, why don't you talk to me anymore?? Why don't you open up to me? There's so many things I want to tell you, but I'm afraid to say them. I'm afraid that you might...that you might...

"Misao-chan?"

I kinda jumped and turned around furiously only to find that it was oneechan. She was...smiling. And something in her eyes made me very nervous.

"Nani yo?" I asked her.

"What're you doing, wishing upon stars?" she asked back.

I blushed. I KNEW that she was up to something. She sat down next to me, still in her Chinese clothes. Those clothes looked beautiful and comfy. God, I wish women in this country had clothes like that.

"Ne, don't you remember the promise that I made to you?" she asked me, still with that creepy "I-know-something-you-don't" smile on her face.

"Anno...which one?" I asked. We made so many that I can't even remember them all.

"Oh, the one involving aniki," she replied sweetly.

I gulped. Oh, Kami-sama, please don't tell me...

"H-hai?"

"Maa, let me take care of him, ne?"

"Huh?" That kinda comfused me. What did she mean...

Iku-chan stood up and walked back in the Aoiya. "I'll take care of aniki's antisocial problem for ya."

It took me a few moments after she left to figure out what she meant. A big grin was creeping to my face, I knew because I felt it.

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and thank you ten thousand times over, Iku-chan!!!!

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Uh....kinda weird, no? Well, I was just trying to figure out how to type up this chapter, and well, there you go. I hope it works. Tell me, ne?


	5. Enemies from the Past and a Resolution

Two Sides of a Sword: Enemies from the Past and a Resolution

~~Enemies from the Past and a Resolution~~

OOC WARNING!! Don't be surprised if Aoshi acts a bit too OOC. Hey, he's with his imouto-chan ^_^.

"Rokou-sama!"

A cloaked ninja bowed before his Okashira who was watching the sky.

"Nani, Akira?" the man named Rokou answered.

Rokou was a man of his late twenties. His silver hair and copper eyes contrasted his dark demeanor and outfit. His face was ridden with scars, a particularly large one slashed across his entire face from the top of his left eyebrow to the right corner of his lip. Strapped on his back was a long sword, the hilt gleaming deadly in the moonlight.

"Shinomori Aoshi's sister has returned," Akira answered. The only visible sign of Akira was his bright green eyes that seemed to glow slightly in the dark.

Rokou laughed maniacally in the empty room; the ravens in the trees flew away briskly. Rokou's alughter ceased as he turned around, smiling evilly.

"Sou ka? Then our trap has been set," Rokou said.

Akira smiled throught the mask, exacting his Okashira's evil. "What would you like us to do?"

"Kill them all. The only two people who are exceptionally skilled are Shinomori and his sister. The others are just merchants, I should know."

Akira bowed. "Hai, Okashira." He turned to leave.

"Oh, and Akira."

Akira paused. "Hai?"

"Be cautious when dealing with the two Shinomoris."

"Of course, Rokou-sama."

Rokou turned back into the night sky, smiling maliciously. _Those two will suffer the hell that they have given me._

Flashback ~ Thirteen years ago

Aoshi and Rokou exchanged blows over a bridge. Rokou falls to one knee, his face bleeding profusely. Aoshi looked down at him, also suffering from minor wounds.

"Just give up, Rokou," Aoshi said coldly. "Although the Azma and the Onibanwanshuu are equal, the Okashiras aren't the same."

He began to walk away when Rokou barely stood, his own blood blinding him. "Matte, Shinomori! I'm not done with you, yet!"

Aoshi continued on walking, ignoring Rokou's insults and cries.

Flashback ~ three years ago

Ikumi's eyes coldy stared back into Rokou's, a flame of revenge burning within. She gasped heavily, gripping the hilt of the sword that her lover once held, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You've taken me away from the ones I loved once. I'm not going to let you do that again."

back to the present

Rokou's laughter echoed throughout the mansion.

Aoiya

A soft knock came to his door, disrupting his mediation again.

"Nani?" Aoshi asked.

"Ne, aniki, can we talk?" Ikumi's voice answered.

"Aa."

The door slid open and was closed softly behind. Ikumi found a place and sat down. A few moments of silence followed. Aoshi couldn't think of anything to say.

Ikumi sighed. "Now, I know you just absolutely love feeling guilty about everything---"

"I don't love being guilty about everything, Ikumi," Aoshi interrupted. 

"Well then don't blame yourself on the day that I was kidnapped. _I _don't blame you," Ikumi replied.

"...Twelve years, huh?" Aoshi asked.

"Jiya told me everything," Ikumi nodded. "So, now I wanna hear your side of the story."

"Why don't you start off?"

"Because I said you first."

Aoshi sighed. "I'll never get away from you, will I?"

Ikumi smiled. "Of course not. I'm your imouto, aren't I? That's what imoutos are for."

An explosion echoed nearby, catching the attention of everyone in the inn.

_That ki..._Aoshi thought as he and Ikumi stood.

"An attack?" Ikumi asked.

"Probably..."

From looking down the window below, dark figures began to approach the former Oniwanbanshuu base.

"Ikumi, tell Okina to prepare for an ambush," Aoshi said.

downstairs

"What was that?!?" the Oniwanbanshuu rushed in the back door.

_That wasn't any normal explosion..._Okina thought.

"Jiya..." Misao was about to say.

"Minna!" Ikumi rushed downstairs, Aoshi slowly following behind with his kodaichi in hand. "It's an ambush!"

The doors crashed open as crowds of ninjas rushed in for attack. The ninjas successfully managed to separate all of them. Ikumi dodged the kunai of one, taking him out with one kick. She began to take out the others that surrounded her with extreme accuracy and speed.

Misao was trapped in one corner, throwing kunai at each oncoming ninja. Some had escaped them and came even closer for her to go into close-range combaat. _Ten kunai left, and about thirty or forty of them each, _Misao considered. _That means ten each and twenty or thirty left with nothing. Kuso!_

None of the inexperienced ninjas dared to go near the former Okashira. The most skilled ones approached him and even then they wre struck down like flies. Aoshi eyed both his enemy and Misao. She seemed to be doing well, but he knew that she wouldn't last out any longer. But this one ninja he was against right now, he could barely make his way to her. Aoshi eyed the ninja's movements carefully as they exchanged blows.

The ninja attacked with precisions, but was cautious after each one. All of a sudden, the ninja disappeared, surprising Aoshi.

Her kunai ran out, so Misao had to resort to her inexperienced kempo. She noticed that the way that Ikumi fought was...pretty. She moved like the wind, eluding her opponents and taking them all out at once. _So that's thw Wandon school..._

Her mind was so concentrated on taking down her opponents that she didn't notice the one coming from behind. Akira raised his wakizashi for the final blow...

"Misao, abunai!" Ikumi shouted.

Aoshi's mind raced. _Misao!_

**_What are you doing, standing there?!?_** his subconscious demanded.

_But----_

**_No buts. If you don't move her out of the way, she'll be killed! Do you want the one you care for dearly be lost to you, forever?!?_**

Misao turned around, frozen in fear.

...blade met flesh instantaneously and blood spewed out from wounds.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Bwuahahahahaha....I just love doing this to you guys ^_^. Should I tell you what happened to Aoshi, or should I not? ::goes into Shakespearean mode:: To tell or not to tell, that is the question. ::reverts back into Ayame-chan mode:: ....Naaaaaaaaahhhhhhh....Stay tuned and R&R!!


	6. A Temporary Peace

Two Sides of a Sword: A Temporary Peace 

~~ A Temporary Peace ~~

AUTHORESS NOTE: Hee hee hee. Gomen for putting y'all in that cliffhanger last chapter. I make up! See?? Just be aware of some surprises....heheh...

Blade met flesh simultaneously and blood spewed out from wounds...

Misao's eyes widened at the sight of the man who had shielded her from harm.

"AOSHI-SAMA!!"

~~

Aoshi snapped awake before wincing in pain at the wound in his side. _N-nani?_

The last thing he remembered was reaching out for Misao, then darkness took over. Now, he was in his room. It seemed as if nothing had happened except that there was an agonizing pain in his side that made him realize that the attack on the Aoiya was real.

_But...what happened?_ he thought.

The door slid open and an unfamiliar young woman stepped in, carying a tray of what seemed to be of food.

"Ara, you're awake!" the young woman said, gently setting down the tray. "Misao-chan's going to be happy."

"Who...are you?" Aoshi asked, still not moving from his spot.

"Watashi no Asarai Jun, a friend of your sister's," the woman introduced herself.

Jun was a young woman around Misao's age. Her midnight hair was kept in a tight bun with a dagger-like hairpin holding it up. She had bright emerald eyes; eyes that could see all. She seemed to smile a lot just like how she was right now. 

"You've been asleep for more than three days, you know," she added.

Aoshi's eyes widened in shock for a moment, but then it changed back to the mask that he alwasy had. In his mind, though, the shock still remained. For just a small wound, he was out like a light. Unless he was hit in a vital spot...

"You said that Misao would be happy?" he asked, though, he wasn't all that surprised.

Jun stood up. "Maa, ever since you got injured, she's been watching over you like a hawk. You lost a lot of blood before I got to help, getting struck so deeply and all. Ikumi-neesan and I had to persuade her to rest before her condition got worse."

His heart seemed to stop at that moment, but his voice betrayed no emotion. "Her condition?"

Jun smiled again, but this time it was for reassurance. "She's exhausted herself out. Being up for at least two and a half days straight without food or water kind of exhausts your body's resources. She didn't even have the strength left to stand so we had to carry her back to her room. She's sleeping right now."

"Sou ka...."

"Well, when she wakes up, I'll tell her that you're okay," Jun concluded, sliding the door open. She turned around one last time. "And you stay put where you are. If you try to make any sudden movements, that wound's going to open up again."

With that, she slid the door closed and left. Aoshi looked down at his food, staring absentmindedly into the miso soup. He didn't have an appetite today, but he'd have to force himself to eat because his physical body apparantly was.

outside

Ikumi sat outside drawing with a little girl, keeping herself occupied. The girl was only two, but she was bright and observant like herself when she was her age. Also, the girl looked a lot like Ikumi, but there was a bit of someone else inside. That someone made her think about the past again. She smiled sadly. _I wish he was here..._

"Ikumi-neesan?" Jun's voice asked.

She turned her head. "Nani, Jun?"

"Ohayou, Jun-neechan!!" the little girl waved enthusiastically and then resumed on her...artwork.

"Your brother's awake," Jun said. "Although, I think he's a bit confused."

Ikumi smiled at the remark. "Maa, I don't blame him. How's Misao-chan?"

"Still asleep. I don't think she'll wake up until late afternoon."

"Arigatou, Jun."

Jun laughed. "You don't have to thank me, Ikumi-neesan. I am a doctor after all and sisters have to stick together, right?"

Ikumi smiled. "You're right...ne, Set-chan?"

The girl lifted her head, pigtails bouncing as they did. Her bright green eyes glistened in delight.

"Hai, 'kaachan?"

Just by looking in her daughter's eyes made Ikumi smiled even more. "You wanna see your uncle?"

Set-chan broke into glee. "Honto??"

"Aa. He's awake now, demo, be a good girl and behave, okay?"

"Hai!!!"

_Boy, is oniichan going to be shocked...._Ikumi thought amusingly.

Aoshi's room

He was thinking about her again. After some more futile resistance, Aoshi finally gave up and let himself fall into his confusion. Half of him wanted to smack himself upside the head while the other half just felt like how he was feeling right now. Lost.

_What's wrong with me? _he thought. _Usually, meditating isn't a hard thing for me to do. _

He was thinking too much again. Aoshi sighed and was about to lie down and sleep until a soft knock came at the door.

"Ne, aniki?" Ikumi asked. "Can I come in?"

Aniki. Ha, he wasn't used to being called that by her. Maybe twelve years of absensce changed her way of calling him "oniichan". 

"Aa."

The door slid open again. Ikumi closed it quickly behind her. Instead of Chinese clothing, she was wearing a simple, light blue kimono. She shifted a bit, and Aoshi could tel that his sister wasn't used to it. Inwardly, he smiled.

"Daijoubu?" she asked.

"Aa, although it's a bit hard to..." Something had caught his eye.

That something was a little girl hiding behind his sister. She only stood to Ikumi's knee with a tossle of midnight hair tied into pigtails and one curious emerald eyes peering out. He raised an eyebrow, and she disappeared with one hand still clinging onto the kimono.

Ikumi noticed her brother's perspective curiosity and looked down at her daughter. "Ne, Set-chan, doushta no? Don't you want to say hi to your uncle?"

"U-uncle??" Aoshi repeated the word, a bit too shocked to say anything else.

Timidly, Set-chan stepped ou, rocking back and forth like one who doesn't like to stay put. Her hands her behind her back, but her large green eyes were looking straight into Aoshi's own. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Masaka..."

"Ohayou, Aoshi-nii," Set-chan said politely, still remaining in her spot.

Something about Set-chan reminded Aoshi about Misao and Ikumi when they were still children. Maybe it was the complete innocence that she displayed which became an innocent terror inside. Or maybe it was the hesitance she showed towards him. Only looking around two, Set-chan was a miniature version of Ikumi with the exception of large green eyes. That was when things started to click in.

"Ikumi, she's you..." Aoshi began.

"Daughter?" his sister finished, eyes beaming. She let out a light laugh, patting her daughter on the head. "Hai. This is Shinomori Setsuko, your little niece. I wanted to tell you before, demo, those ninja came in."

For once, Aoshi fell into utter jaw-dropping, eye-bulging, shock.

Later...

Misao was finally awake and sitting up, though she wasn't strong enough to stand and walk around just yet. She finished the rest of her soup, relenquishin in the aftertaste it had. Yet...that was all she could eat. No matter how hard she tried, she didn't have an appetite.

"Misao-chan, you're not going to get any better the way you are right now," Jun said lightly.

Misao couldn't help but giggle. Ever since meeting Jun three days ago, Misao couldn't help but liking the young woman. Jun was exactly the same age as Misao, if not a few months older, and a fantastic doctor. Sure, she wasn't like Megumi whose family was totally absorbed with Western medicine, but she was close.

"I guess you're right," Misao agreed, taking a bite of the fried tofu. "...Is Aoshi-sama alright?"

Jun smiled. "He's awake. And Set-chan's meeting him right now."

Misao returned the smile. Not only because Aoshi was okay, but also because of Ikumi's young daughter, Setsuko. When Ikumi had returned to get help, the entire house of the Oniwanbanshuu practically fell. If Hannya and the others were there, they would probably do the same thing. No, it wasn't because of Jun's arrival; it was because of the tiny girl that Ikumi was carrying.

Setsuko reminded Misao of herself when she was little except for the fact that Setsuko was extremely shy like her mother.

"Yokatta na..." she murmured then remembered something about Setsuko that bothered her. "Ne, Jun?"

"Hmm? Nani?"

"How did...how did Ikumi...I mean, you know..." God, it was so embarassing to even say the WORD.

"How did Ikumi-neesan become pregnant with Setsuko?" Jun finished. She sat back a bit, a melachaly expression casting over her eyes. "Maa....it's a long story."

* * *

AYAME-CHAN SAYS: *dun dun dun* How will this go?? Is Ikumi going to explain it all? Find out in the next chapter!! ^_^


	7. Relapse, and Then...

Two Sides of a Sword: Relapse and Then... 

~~Relapse, and Then...~~

AUTHORESS NOTE: Don't be surprised if this chapter's a tad bit confusing. Hey, even when I finished writing this, I got confused myself....O_o. Well, the rest will be explained in the next chapter whenever I get cracking on it! R&R!!

Akira twisted and turned in his prison, cursing himself for getting captured so easily. Staying here, tied so tightly that his limbs were beginning to lose feeling, was a double edged sword. If he escaped, he wouldn't have to deal with Shinomori but the woman that was his sister.

_I shouldn't have underestimated that girl_, Akira thought as he remembered how Ikumi chased after him after he had injured Aoshi and landed a solid blow to the head, rendering him unconscious.

If he stayed, he would be hunted down by Toraki, Rokou-sama's pet ninja and right hand man. Akira once again cursed to himself. He respected his Okashira highly but detested his right hand man. Akira really didn't see anything that special about the ninja, but Rokou-sama highly praised the young man after whatever mission he had completed. And if Akira didn't act fast enough, one of those orders was going to be him.

The light of his journey finally reached through, and Akira smiled cruelly to himself, eyes lighting up in delight at the sound of keys dropping.

Aoiya

Ikumi finished tucking in Setsuko for her nap. She smiled softly to herself at Setsuko's peaceful face. The little girl had a blast with Aoshi, immediately getting attached to him yet being careful to mind her mother's orders. Even with her brother's one word responses, Setsuko didn't seem to mind. She showed him the pictures that she had just drawn...and just talked a whole bunch of nonsense that only she could understand being the two year old that she was.

Ikumi herself had to supress a giggle coming towards her throat as she watched her brother's facial expression go from shock to total confusion to curiosity and finally back to the expressionless mask that she remembered during her daughter's meeting with Aoshi.

Sighing softly as she slid the door closed, Ikumi finally fell back into the despair that she had been resisting for two and a half years. Being finally home had boosted her spirits a bit, but it was only temporary. She knew that everyone wanted to know how in the world did she have Setsuko, who was the father, and the like. That was just how her "family" was, typically Okina. _Maybe talking to oniichan first might make things easier..._

Knowing that Aoshi was expecting her back for answers, Ikumi didn't even bother to acknowledge her presence. Aoshi was up and about, absentmindedly tooking out of the window. It was amazing itself that he was standing considering how much blood he had lost three days before, but Ikumi could tell that her brother was masking the pain inside. 

After taking a deep breath, "I'm guessing that you want to know everything, ne?"

Aoshi turned to look at her. "Aa."

"Yosh, demo, you're goign to have to answer some questions after this," Ikumi said.

_Damn, I knew that there was a catch, _Aoshi thought before replying with a monotonous, "Wakaata."

And so, Ikumi began her tale....

five years ago ~ some mountains in China (AN: There's so many, I don't even know which one is which...)

"Eh?!? I have to leave? Sensei, doushite?"

The older woman smiled at the young girl in front of her, brown eyes twinkling in delight. She shook her head at the younger one's presumption. 

"It's not what you think, Ikumi," the woman answered in Chinese. "I want you to expreience the world, get to know what's going ont outside of these peaceful forests. I know that you want to go back someday to see how everyone you know there is doing."

Ikumi looked down at her hands, strands of black falling toward her face. "I do...but..."

Her master stood up and went towards her, laying a hand on her shoulder, smiling softly. 

"It's for your own good, Ikumi-chan," her master said gently in Japanese. "If you keep on running away from your feelings, they're always going to catch up with you. Once you come back and see the rest of the country, you are welcome to return. Demo, I want you to know the reality of the world, Ikumi-chan. That will be when you decide for yourself to stay in China or return home in Japan."

It was very rare that her master would speak to her in her own native language, so Ikumi was a bit surprised. Reluctantly, she nodded.

"Okay...I'll go..." she finally said in Chinese.

Her master nodded. "Ryuuen and Fei are coming along with you so I don't have to worry too much about you getting into trouble."

Ikumi frowned, creasing features appeared over her face of fifteen years. "But THEY'RE the ones who get into trouble when I'm with them."

Her master smiled at Ikumi's point. "Yes, and that's why I'm not worried. Besides, I'm sure you and Fei would like the time alone."

Ikumi blushed a light pink at the comment and quickly excused herself. Her master chuckled in delight at the girl's embarassment, watching her go. 

About two months ago, the high priests at the monastery arranged a marriage for Ikumi and Fei. Fei, Ikumi, and Ryuuen were the best triangle of friends ever since Ikumi had entered the monastery. The two young men were one of the few Japanese-speaking students at the monastery, Fei being half and Ryuuen being full and was also taken in as an orphan but at a much younger age than Ikumi had been. Ikumi and Ryuuen were close friends, Ryuuen and Fei the best of friends. With Ikumi and Fei, however, it had been different as the three grew older. Hence, the marriage arrangement.

Not that Ikumi minded. Actually, she was estatic, but she was also embarassed at the same time when any of her teachers touched that subject.

Packing the remainders of what she would be needing, Ikumi smiled softly to herself. _Maybe leaving on this trip isn't so bad after all._

two years later ~ Fo Shan district

A loud crackling of firecrackers echoed throughout the plaza, its light firing up into the night sky. The crowd cheered in sheer delight for the New Year had come. 

Fei gazed down at the crowd from the balcony above, smiling to himself. He was a young man of twenty with dark brown hair that was almost black and grey eyes that were reflecting the sparks of the firewords. He was tall and lean with a slight build, hunced over the balcony to see the view below him.

A man below was waving his hands frantically, looking at him. He was around the same age as Fei was with black hair and emerald eyes wearing a smoky Chinese outfit, shirt unbuttoned to reveal a white tank underneath. Fei raised an eyebrow as the man was making hand signals when he had caught Fei's attention. The sounds of the roaring crowd, gong beaters, and exploding firecrackers were so loud that no words could be heard without yelling.

Fei returned the man's hand signals with those of his own, the two trying to piece together a conversation. After a few mintues, the two nod in agreement and Fei disappeared from the balcony to his room. He smiled to himself at the sight of Ikumi sleeping peacefully in bead and tried to get his jacket as quietly as he could. However, Ikumi's well-trained ears caught onto the slight noises he made and opened her eyes. Fei paused in mid-buttoning and stared into her eyes. He grinned sheepishly.

"I can't sneak away from you, ne?" he asked in a slight accent.

Ikumi smiled back at him, stretching her arms. 

"Mmm, ie," she answered. "An Oniwanbanshuu can hear all."

Fei let out a laugh and sat down next o her, brushing away some stray strands from her face.

"Me an' Ryu are going out for a drink," he explained.

Ikumi smiled again, a teasing gling in her eyes. "What time do I have to pick you two up from jail?"

Fei grinned again, trying to put an innocent look on his face. "Jail? What jail?"

"You know what I mean, Fei."

"I know, I know. We'll TRY not to get in trouble," Fei concluded, kissing Ikumi passionately on the lips.

"Yasuko?"

"Aa, I promise."

zoom back to the present: Aoiya ~ Misao's room

"Uso..."

That was all she could say. Misao's eyes were filled with tears as Jun finished her story.

Jun let out a light laugh to get rid of the guilt built up inside her. "Funny, isn't it? I've always wondered why Ikumi-neesan let it go so easily after all I did to her. A bratty little rich sixteen year old going after her obsession of getting stronger, and all she's done is getting the people who care about her hurt. Sometimes I just wish I wasn't so naive back then..."

"Demo...you're happy now, right?" Misao asked. "I mean, everything's normal now and you're happy with your husband, ne? Iku-chan's helping you out and she's trying her best to be a good mother to Set-chan, ne?" 

Jun smiled sadly. "Aa, I guess so. I'm glad I'm with Isamu, demo, we both worry about Ikumi-neesan. It's like there's this dark void within her that can't be filled in and she falls into it at times."

_That's like Aoshi-sama..._ Misao thought, wandering back to the question in her heart. She was still confused of his actions three days before, still wondering of what was going through that closed mind of his.

Aoshi's room

Ikumi breathed out a sigh. "That was the last time I saw him and it was also the beginning of the breakdown of my so-called happy life."

"Ikumi..."

"I guess I learned my lesson the hard way. Demo, my heart wasn't broken until much later," Ikumi cut in.

"What do you mean---"

"I don't want you or Misao-chan to go through what I've been through and get hurt," she smiled slightly at Aoshi's shock. "Don't be denying it, oniichan. I know how you feel about Misao-chan and think that she deserves a better person than you, right?"

"...." _I still think she does._

outside

It was so easy for him to get out. Almost too easy. Like the skilled ninja he was, Akira managed to escape with such a stealth that not even the acutest ears could hear.

He had failed the mission, but it was better to face the anger of his Okashira than his own anger against Toraki. But before returning back to headquarters, he had to complete some unfinished business and attacking Shinomori Aoshi's weakness...


	8. Reliving the Past

~Reliving the Past~

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh, my...it's been a while. You see, writer's block kind of took over my senses on this fic. Well...finally, I'm out of it!! ^_^

Misao stretched her arms up high, feeling a bit more refreshed than what she was before Aoshi had woken up. Her Aoshi-sama was awake, although a bit sore at the least, and she was glad. Evening was soon coming to an end, so Misao wasn't able to visit Aoshi, fearing that he would not want company at the moment.

"Ah, it's so nice to feel fresh air again!" she exclaimed as she and Jun were stepping into the garden.

Jun giggled at her statement. "You don't like staying in one place, do you?"

"Ie! Just looking out the window makes me want to go out and feel the sun on my face," Misao replied.

In actuality, Misao was covering up her depression from Ikumi's hidden ordeals with a false cheerfulness that she had always used whenever she was down. She wondered how Jun was able to live with such a burden of guilt. As her mind pondered, she began to understand the burdens that Aoshi was hiding deep inside that shell of his and was more determined than ever to free him of them.

closeby

Misao and Jun were completely unaware of Akira's presence in the shadows. He chuckled inwardly to himself. So, so, close in his reach and they did not know what was among them. It would be his chance to redeem himself to his okashira, even though it was not his goal. Killing the woman that Shinomori Aoshi protected would surely crumple the former Oniwanbanshuu okashira's cold exterior. Just finding the right moment was all she needed.

Aoshi's room

"Wow, it's getting late," Ikumi commented as she looked outside the window. "I guess I was talking longer than I thought I would."

Aoshi did not respond. He was still thinking about what his sister had said about Misao. Hiding his true feelings from her? No, he wasn't hiding them. 

It was well-known among the ranks of the Oniwanbanshuu that Misao, since she was first introduced to Aoshi, loved Aoshi dearly. It was first thought to be a child crush, a phase. However, after Aoshi had left, the crush, the phase, never went away. It grew.

Aoshi mainly ignored the way how'd she pay special attention to him, as if trying to read his indiscernible mind. He ignored how she would treat his physical wounds ever so gently like how a wife would with her husband. He ignored everything that she would do to pry him open, to refresh the happiness that he lost when his parents died soon after Ikumi's birth.

He treated Misao like his little sister, even more so when Ikumi was abducted over more than twelve years ago. But he had to ask himself: was she still that same little sister to him?

Soft footsteps snapped him out of thought.

"Matte, Ikumi," he finally said. She had paused, standing between the doorway. Aoshi looked at his sister in the eye. "You never explained about Setsuko-chan's father. It wasn't Fei, was it?"

The sadness in her eyes were so visible, but she smiled anyway. "Ie, Ryu is her father." She looked away from her brother. "He...died before he even knew I was carrying his child two years ago, before _I _even knew."

Without giving her brother another word, Ikumi left the room.

at some odd mansion

"Rokou-sama," a voice addressed behind him.

Rokou finished completing his daily "exercise", slicing the last trunk in half. He sheathed back his kodaichi before taking a glance at the man behind him.

"What is it, Toraki?" he asked.

Toraki was a man in his mid-twenties. Unlike most of his men, Toraki was not afraid of revealing his face in public. He was rather handsome, one that made even the most strong-willed of women swoon to the floor. However, perfection was mauled with one long, deep scar that began from the top of his right eyebrow all the way down to the corner of his lip. A string of black bangs covered his eyes which were barely peeking out and shown a bright green in the darkness.

Although fairly new to the Azma clan, having joined a year earlier, Toraki proved to be a man worthy of trust and skill. Rokou quickly put the man as one of his most trusted men despite much disapproval from the elder members of the clan. True, Toraki was very new, but he did not need to go through the rigorous training that most rookie ninjas had to go through because Toraki had passed them long before in a ninja clan that no longer exists after the Bakumatsu. This also made the elder members furious. Why accept a man who no longer has pride for his own deceased?

"Akira has failed," Toraki answered. "My men have told me that he has been captured by the Oniwanbanshuu."

"Hmph," Rokou huffed as he whipped out his kodaichi again to slice the top half of the trunk that was falling to the ground. It feel into two chunks of wood. "Make sure that he doesn't release any information, Toraki."

Usually, one would be pleased to be even given an order personally by their okashira, but Toraki showed no sign of joy. He simply bowed in respect. 

"As you wish, Rokou-sama."

Aoiya ~ garden

It had just barely caught her eye. A shadow that could have easily been the wind, or a tree, but it wasn't.

"Abunai!" Jun shouted, shoving Misao out of the way as Akira passed through. She had spotted him just in time or else she and Misao would not be in the living world anymore.

Akira managed to reduce his speed, but he wasn't able to stop himself from plowing into a wall, alerting the other members of the household. 

"Che," he muttered to himself, but it was too late to stop his actions now. He had a mission to accomplish.

Misao was trying to regain her composure after the harsh fall when she saw the tip of a blade coming straight for her. She managed to roll over to avoid the blow, but in doing so caused dust to fly in her eyes. Ruining her outfit for the day, Misao stood up, blind, and tried to use her exceptional hearing to sense her enemy.

Jun had gotten up as soon as the first strike ended. She tried to attack whoever was their attacker, but it was hard to see though the dust that had accumulated after the first strike. She, too, used her sharp senses to figure out where Akira was.

Ikumi and the other members of the Oniwanbanshuu had just entered in the area. Even Aoshi managed to get out of his room to see what was going on, his two kodaichi on hand.

"Misao?" Okon called out in the dust cloud.

Misao, inside the cloud, turned at the direction of the voice, letting Akira have the opportunity to strike. The cloud of dust was a vitality to his special technique, giving him the nickname of "Shadow" among the Azma clan. The blade of accomplishment was almost there for him when...a searing pain stung through his body. Misao had turned around, her eyes wide with shock. Akira looked down at himself, noticing a bloody end of a katana shining through his chest. The katana was covered in blood, _his_ blood. He turned around to find his assailant: Toraki. But instead of Toraki, another face replaced his; one of a man who was supposed to be dead two years ago. Akira's eyes widened. 

"Trai..."

But before he could finish his words, the feeling of the blade coming out of his chest overwhelmed him and Akira fell to the ground, lifeless. In the distance, Ikumi took one good look at their "rescuer" and gasped.

"Ryu?" 


	9. Reconciliation

AUTHORESS NOTES: Yeah, another chapter! Boy, I have to thank Chichiri and readers for pushing me on with this fic. 

Chichiri: DA! No problem, Ayame-chan, no da!

*grumbling from the other muses*

Oh, don't worry, you guys, you helped, too, ya know?

Tasuki: Yeah, whatever....

TrowaPlushie: You REALLY are starting to sound like Squall, Tasuki.

*Taka-neko nods*

Tasuki: I AIN'T !#@$%@#^%%^*&^%*#$%@$&)(*%^&#$% SQUALL, DAMMIT!!

~Reconciliation~

"Ryu?" Ikumi murmured.

Nobody heard her except for Aoshi as the ninja wiped away the blood on his sword and sheathed it back into its place. He looked at the dead corpse of Akira before him and then at the shell-shocked Misao. He gave a friendly smile at her, lending out a hand.

"Are you okay, miss?" he asked. "Seems like I came in just in time."

"U-uh huh..." Misao stammered as she let the mysterious man hoist her back up. Words were a bit too much for her at the moment.

The other Oniwanbanshuu members rushed forward, leaving Aoshi and Ikumi to themselves. Aoshi had wanted to join the others to see if Misao was all right and to take a good look at the newcomer (who of which was being drooled upon by Omasu and Okon), but his wounds had prevented him to move as quickly as he had wanted to. He was also worried about his sister who had stayed where she was, utterly oblivious to his presence and her eyes wide in shock. It wasn't until little Setsuko came toddling in when she snapped out of attention.

"'Kaachan, what's going on?" Setsuko mumbled as she rubbed sleep away from her eyes. 

Aoshi quickly lifted the little girl in his arms and let her face him so that she wouldn't see Akira's corpse. 

"We had a visitor today, so your okaachan has to talk to him, Set-chan," he explained to her, taking a glance at Ikumi. "So, wait for her a little bit later, okay, Set-chan?"

Setsuko sleepily complied, wrapping her arms around her uncle's neck and resting her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. Ikumi mouthed a "thank you" to her brother who nodded silently at her before leaving. Ikumi watched them go, amazed at how Aoshi could persuade children to his favor. She then turned back to the small crowd that gathered around their new arrival.

Shiro and Kuro were lugging away the corpse as Okina and the women were interrogating their newcomer. Misao just noticed Aoshi walking way with Setsuko in one arm and his twin kodaichi in the other.

_Were you trying to help me again, Aoshi-sama?_ she thought to herself.

"Ryuuen, I thought you were dead!" Jun exclaimed, immediately recognizing their newcomer.

"Oh, his name's Ryuuen," Okon and Omasu sighed dreamily. Okina sighed heavily. _Here they go..._

Ryuuen let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head. 

"Maa...istashiburi, Jun," he said, ignoring the heart-shaped eyes that Omasu and Okon were giving him. 

"How did you survive? Oneechan said that she saw you fall," Jun pressed on.

"Well, I---"

"That you did," Ikumi softly replied behind him. Ryuuen turned around. Ice green met ice blue.

"Ikumi..."

later

She avoided him for the remainder of the evening. Of all the things that Ikumi would have done if she was given the chance to see her dead husband returned to life again, she wouldn't avoid him. And yet...her feelings were so mixed now that she did.

"So there you are," a voice said behind her.

Ikumi started a bit, tearing her gaze from her sleeping daughter to face Ryuuen. He hadn't changed much the two years she had last seen him: the last to years to which she thought that he was dead. The only noticeable changes she saw in him was the deep scar on the right side of his face and that his hair was longer. 

"Misao-chan said that you would probably be here," Ryuuen said, walking towards her.

Ikumi looked back at a sleeping Setsuko, brushing away a strand of hair.

"Sou ka..." she murmured.

She still kept on looking at Setsuko as he quietly sat down next to her.

"She looks like you," he said as he too looked at her, no, THEIR daughter.

Ikumi let out a small chuckle. "Hai, but she has your eyes."

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ikumi retorted back.

Ryuuen sighed. He knew her well enough to explain rather than ask.

"Some villagers nearby found me washed onto the riverbank when I fell," he began. "It took me two months to recover from my wounds and regain the ability to fight."

Ikumi finally managed to look at him. "Your ability to fight?"

Ryuuen nodded. "My hands were broken so badly that I wasn't able to use them properly. It wasn't until I went back to the school and met your sensei when I was able to use them. By that time, she told me that you left the school to live with Jun and Isamu...and that you were pregnant with Setsuko."

Ikumi smiled sadly. "She didn't tell you where I was, ne?"

"Aa...so my best bet to find you was to act like one of Rokou's men. I heard rumors that he was looking for you and your brother, so I took that risk."

"So you changed your appearance."

"He's looking for your brother."

"What for?" Ikumi asked. "Revenge? Title of the strongest ninja? That battle was over more than ten years ago."

"I'm not sure why, Ikumi," Ryuuen answered. He wrapped his arms around her and felt something that he hadn't had for a long, long time. Her.

"I'm sorry for putting you and Setsuko-chan through what you've been through," he murmured through her hair.

Ikumi let out a small laugh, refusing to let her tears fall. She, too, felt something that she hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity. 

Safety.

"Baka, what are you sorry about?" she murmured in the crook of his neck, letting her tears fall. "You...didn't do anything wrong."

Ryuuen chuckled softly, a low rumble against her ear. "Then why are you crying, koishii?"

* * *

AN: ^_________^ I like WAFFy stuff. R&R!


	10. Changes

AUTHORESS NOTES: Okay, now for some A&M interaction! ...Sort of ^_^.

~Changes~

Aoiya ~ morning

Okina sipped his morning does of tea. _These past few days have been hectic..._

"Hmm..." he hummed thoughtfully.

Ryuuen sat across from him, staring back at his reflection in the cup he held before looking back up at Okina. "Okina-dono...you know about the Azma clan?"

Okina chuckled. "Well, you know that I am an old soldier, Yoshikiro-kun. Of course I know about the Azma clan. They are a mix of highly skilled, respected ninja. Not to mention arrogant, too."

"Then you know about their current Okashira."

"I know much about the Masabi Rokou of the past and the present," Okina replied as he set down his cup of tea. "His grudge against Aoshi is great for its been tradition for the Shinomori and Masabi households to be joined, but Aoshi and Ikumi's great grandfather broke that tie by marrying someone out of the Masabi family line. I agree with you. It would be safer for them to come with you and Ikumi. But let me as you one question, Yoshikiro-kun. How do you know all this?"

Ryuuen smiled. "I suppose you can say that an old friend of yours told me."

Misao's room

"And you should see the sunset there, Misao-chan!" Jun chirped happily as they packed. "It's so beautiful!"

Misao shared a laugh with her. "You miss your husband, don't you, Jun?"

Jun smiled absentmindedly as she packed. Her eyes were faraway. 

"Maa...I guess you can say that. Although Isamu can be an idiot sometimes, I still love him," Jun said. She looked at Misao. "That's what love does to you, you know? Although your partner may have his or her faults, that's what makes them them."

Misao nodded. "I know what you mean."

_Although Aoshi-sama's cold, he's still Aoshi-sama no matter what_.

Ikumi's room

Ikumi heaved a great sigh. Setsuko imitated her as she hugged her doll tightly.

"'Kaachan, do we have to go?" Setsuko asked sullenly.

"Uh-huh," Ikumi replied just as sullen.

"Doushite? We haven't stayed here long," Setsuko tried to make her point.

Ikumi ruffled her daughter's hair, smiling. "Set-chan, okaachan and otouchan have no choice. Besides, Aoshi-niichan and Misao-neechan are coming along as well as Jun-neechan. You get to see obaachan again, ne? You keep on telling me that you miss obaachan."

"I do..." Setsuko said in defeat as she began to fiddle with her doll's hair. "Demo, can't I stay here with Ojiya-chan?"

"Ojiya-chan" was a term for Okina. She had heard her mother say "Jiya" often enough to adopt a name for her adopted great grandfather.

"But you're going to miss otouchan and okaachan, then," Ikumi tried to reason with her.

"And then you're going to want to find otouchan and okaachan," Ryuuen added as he entered the room.

Setsuko jumped up from her feet, running to her father. "Otouchan!"

"Ohayou, Set-chan," Ryuuen greeted as he lifted her. 

Ikumi found it a miracle that Setsuko accepted her father so easily, but Setsuko was a very easy little girl to please. Both father and daughter grinned at her.

"Okaachan, are we ready?" Ryuuen asked.

Ikumi giggled, carrying their packs. "Hai, hai."

Aoshi's room

Misao stood in front of Aoshi's door, hesitating to knock. For the past few days, they haven't spoken to each other, so she was worried that he would... 

_Would what? Misao, what are you afraid of? _she asked herself.

"Nani, Misao?" his voice asked, snapping her out of thought.

"A-anno, Aoshi-sama," Misao started to say as she slid open his door, "everyone's ready and I was wondering if you were---"

She had stopped in mid sentence because of what she saw. Aoshi was trying to rebandage his wounds. His belongings were already packed, however, he wasn't. Aoshi was only half dressed with no shirt on and that revealed his well-developed muscles and faded battle wounds. His hair was in disarray and in his mouth was a strip of bandage with a wrap of bandages in one hand. The old, dirty bandage wraps were strewn all over the room, and he was barefoot. Misao, in order to not drool or laugh or whichever would come first, bit her bottom lip for a second.

"Aoshi-sama, what are you doing?" she finally managed to ask, although the question came out in a smaller voice than what she had intended.

"Re-bandaging my wounds," he simply replied. "Tell everyone that I'll be down in a few minutes."

The wraps in his hand was immediately stripped from him by Misao who looked at him harshly.

"You can't bandage your wounds very well, Aoshi-sama," she stated and began unwrapping and rewrapping the bandages properly.

Aoshi didn't say anything because he knew that it would be futile to persuade her out of it. Silence filled the room soon after. Misao concentrated on her work rather than converse because she would either say something completely stupid or do something that her heart wanted to do but her body refused to. Aoshi himself tried to meditate, but his thoughts were always distracted by the light brush of her fingers against his torso and back. He inwardly sighed with relief when she said,

"Okay! All finished."

They both stood up. Aoshi took some tests with his abdomen. 

"Arigatou, Misao," he said.

Misao couldn't help it anymore. She let out a hearty laugh. 

"It's okay, Aoshi-sama," she said. "But remember to brush your hair and fix your room before you finish getting ready, ne?"

She skipped out of his room with a cheerfulness that he hadn't seen in her for some time. As soon as his door closed, for once....

Aoshi smiled.

* * *

AUTHORESS NOTES: Yes, he **SMILES**!! ^_^ I can just imagine the last scene *drool*. I know, it's un-Aoshilike, but hey, would you fangirls mind if he was disorganized for a moment?? R&R!


	11. Nightmares and Feelings

AUTHORESS NOTES: Wow, it's been a looooooonnnnnnggggg time. After finishing the last chapter for this fic, I went on an AnimeExpo costume rush. Yes, I'm going to AX02 in Long Beach and for a while it had been hectic! Trying to figure out who's coming, who's driving (I live near Long Beach, so we don't need hotels), costume finishing, etc., etc. So, now I have the time ^^. For a few more days anyway. After AX02, I will be working and it'll be a bit longer for updates to happen. But not to worry! After this chapter, I have already written the next chapter!

Oh, yeah, Aoshi is a little bit OOC and this chapter is more Misao-based, I think. R&R!

Chapter Ten ~ Nightmares and Feelings

A small village had turned into a roaring blaze with smoke that rose into the dark sky above, changing the colors to a dark gray hue. Screams of the dying echoed within as well as the sounds of struggle. Struggle for life. Struggle for survival.

A woman ran alone through the chaos, carrying her two young children in her arms and stumbling over every possible stone that got in her way. Yet she did not fall, only continued to run through her tears. Her youngest, only a year old, began to cry in the madness. She tried to calm her young daughter while her oldest looked on in silence. Fear and devastation played in his blue eyes.

"There they are!" a voice cried out.

The woman's head sharply turned in the direction of the voice. Her ice blue eyes narrowed in anger. 

"Don't let them escape!" another shouted in the opposite direction.

The woman darted into a nearby home that was miraculously untouched by the flames. She set her children down and looked straight into her son's eyes.

"Ao-chan, listen to what okaachan has to say," she began. The young boy stared back and nodded. "Whatever you hear out there, even if it's me, do NOT go out. Got it?"

He nodded, trying to put on his most serious face. Only then did the woman let her features soften and kissed her two children one last time. 

"Take care of your sister," she said to him before heading outside to meet her fate.

The young boy hugged his sister tightly, smothering her tears into his chest. Both children winced as they heard metal clashing against metal and a woman's ear piercing scream. They shut their eyes tightly and waited, desperately waited for the chaos to all end...

Aoshi snapped out of his meditation, eyes wide with shock, and gasped for air. He put a hand over his eyes, forcing his mind to calm itself before he could scream. He stood up, stretched his sore limbs, and walked over to the small porthole of his temporary room.

_It's that again...why is it coming back again? _he thought as his eyes listlessly gazed at the water. 

It had been nearly ten years since the memory of his parents' deaths came back to haunt him. Yet none of them were as impacting as this one. He unconsciously rubbed the side of his ribs. They had been out at sea for five days and everything still remained the same with the exception of Ryu's sudden appearance. Aoshi had a mutual respect towards the younger man, but at times Ryu began to remind him of all the things he despised of himself. Happiness. Tranquility. Love. Ever since his parents' deaths, Aoshi had since lost those feelings. He would have gone insane without the help of Okina and that particular little girl who tried to make the brightest out of the worst times. But even then he still felt lost.

That was the reason why he had closed himself from society. From the world. Even from himself at times. The only person who was actually capable of prying open his carefully guarded walls was his own sister but that was because she could. It was her right to do so.

A knock at the steel door broke him out of his reverie. "Nani?"

He heard the door swing open and close. The only person in the entire world who would even dare allow himself or herself in without asking would be Ikumi. She did that twelve years before, and she still did it now.

**Misao used to be like that, **his inner conscience told him. He batted the thought aside as he turned around.

"Ne, Aniki, why don't you go outside to get some fresh air?" Ikumi suggested. "You've stayed inside your room for the past three days."

"It's...quieter here," he replied. "I like it."

Ikumi sighed. _Since when did he like square, steel rooms?_ Then an idea popped in her head. She grinned evilly in her mind.

"Don't tell me that you're still afraid of the water," she said. 

His eyes flickered in annoyance. Inwardly, Ikumi smiled. _That's it..._ "I am not."

A small smile spread across her lips. Aoshi knew that look. He always hated how she was able to strike the right cords. He frowned at the though. _Damn, why does she always get her way?_

"Yes, I used to, Ikumi, but that was when I was ten," he retorted with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "You should know that. I got over it, remember?"

Ikumi's smile grew wider, a teasing glint in her eyes. She remembered very well that her brother had gotten over his fear of water once he learned how to swim, but she still loved to remember how he used to shriek in horror whenever the Oniwanbanshuu would cross a river to get to the other side quickly.

"Oh? Then why have you been in here the past three days, then?" she asked again.

Aoshi was about to repeat the same answer but thought better of it and sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I'll go outside," he muttered as he grabbed his trenchcoat and began to walk into the hallway past his sister, past his own dark thoughts.

As soon as he disappeared from view, Ikumi chuckled delightfully to herself. She always had the knack of disrupting her brother's usually stoic personality, and she loved it. She liked her brother better when he actually acted like a normal person for once.

on deck

Misao was happily entertaining Setsuko with origami while the girl's parents were busy with other matters. It was a bit difficult to keep the papers still while the two folded, but Setsuko didn't mind. In fact, she didn't mind ANYTHING for a girl no more than two.

_Maybe that's why she accepted her father so easily..._she thought.

"Misao-neechan?"

Misao snapped back into reality, giving the little girl her most winning smile. She continued on her work, showing Setsuko each step.

"Now it looks like a diamond shaped thingy...see? So all you do is fold your paper like this and..."

With one swift move, Misao successfully popped up a paper crane in her hands. She showed her masterpiece to Setsuko. "Tada!"

Setsuko grinned and clapped wildly for a few minutes. Then she peered at the crane closely and looked down at her own paper. After a few moments of pondering, she lifted up a flap that had stuck out of her paper and popped up a crane as well. Her large emerald eyes widened in childlike glee.

"Sugoi! I did it, I did it!" she squealed happily.

Misao giggled and patted her on the head. "See, Set-chan? I told you that anybody can make a crane!"

"Can we do it again?" the girl asked.

"Sure, why not," Misao replied as she took out the last sheet from her sack. "But this time, you do it on your own, okay?"

"Hey, can I join in?" Jun asked behind her.

"Go ahead," she replied and then turned back to Setsuko who was tugging on her sleeve.

"Demo, Misao-neechan, what 'bout the other cranes?" Setsuko asked with a puppy dog look on her face.

Misao thought for a moment, trying to remember what Aoshi had said to her long ago. "Why don't you make a wish and let them fly away? That way, they'll always be by your side."

"Hai!!"

As she thought deeply about her wish, Misao turned her attention back to Jun who had taken a seat next to her.

"I just asked the captain how much longer until we reach the mainland. We'll arrive tomorrow if nothing happens," Jun informed her. 

"Sou ka..." Misao murmured, noticing Aoshi stepping out from the stairs below. _She finally convinced him...Aoshi-sama..._"What is the school like?"

She half-listened to what Jun was saying, but her eyes kept on following Aoshi's figure until he had finally settle don leaning against the rail and staring listlessly at the vast ocean before him. Jun noticed Misao's eyes and turned to see what she was looking at as Setsuko climbed onto her lap. Her eyes too stopped at Aoshi's brooding form and inwardly frowned.

_Uh-oh..._ She recognized that look. She too had done that with her husband, Isamu, at times, particularly when he was outside working. The thought of him made her heart flutter.

"Ne, Misao-chan?" she asked softly.

Misao snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Jun. _Oh god, she must've watched me look. _"N-nani?"

"How long have you loved Aoshi-san?"

Misao sighed heavily, staring down at her hands. "I'm not sure. Ever since I saw him, I suppose." She let out a light laugh. "Everybody thought it was just a childhood crush, a phase, you know? But it wasn't. I don't think it ever was."

"People like that tend to deny their own existence..." Jun murmured enigmatically, wrapping her arms around Setsuko. "They like to keep things secret, make it easier for the people around them to ignore them."

"But I don't want to ignore him!" Misao burst out loud before regaining her composure. "I've wanted to see him smile for me. Just once."

"You know, maybe he will someday or he already does," Jun replied. "You just don't realize it yet."

Misao didn't reply. All she could think of was the past, the happier times. The times when he had at least shown affection in his eyes whenever she showed something new to him. But those times had disappeared. She wondered to herself: _Will Aoshi-sama just disappear, too?_


	12. The Wandon School

AN: See? I told you I'd get this out sooner than what you all had hoped ^^. Anyhoo, like how the last chapter was sort of a like a Misao-based chapter, this chapter is sorta like an Aoshi-based chapter.

Chapter Eleven ~ The Wandon School

A lone figure stood upon the pier during the wee hours of the morning. It listened to the ships' horns that blared by, waiting for an answer. Ice blue eyes reflected the rising sun, clearing out the mist that had enshrouded the port.

"Soon...we will all meet again," the figure murmured.

in some dark mansion in Japan

"So, he has not returned?" Rokou asked as he absentmindedly stroked the head of the canary in his hand.

"Ie, but he has disposed of Akira before he could leak out anything," a seductive voice in the corner of the room replied. "My spies say that he has left no trace of his whereabouts."

"Sou ka..." he murmured, cracking the bird's fragile neck. A small pop made him smile in satisfaction at its death. "And the others?"

"They have left for the mainland. I assume that they want the protection of the Wandon," the voice replied.

"Notify Sai, Mizuki," Rokou replied and stared at the woman across from him. "And find them."

Mizuki's pretty face broke into a cruel smile. She bowed in deference, letting her black hair cascade around her face. "As you wish, Rokou-sama."

at a port (I'm running out of names)

"Aahh, it's so great to be back on solid ground again!" Misao proclaimed as she stretched her arms.

"You were just fine on the ship, Misao-chan," Ikumi replied.

"I agree with her," Ryu said behind her, carrying Setsuko on his shoulders. "It's been longer than usual on that boat."

"Where to now?" Jun asked, raising her voice over the crowds.

"We have to find Sensei," Ikumi answered as she began scanning the crowds. Her eyes caught a familiar face from a distance. "Minna, this way."

The group began to separate from the large crowd of people as Ikumi led the way. Aoshi trailed behind, taking in his surroundings. China didn't seem what he thought it would be. He began to feel self-conscious. _There's so many people..._

"Sensei!" his sister's voice broke him out of thought. His eyes glanced at a slightly elder woman wearing monk's clothes. He held his breath. _Masaka..._

"Sensei, I thought you asked for Isamu to pick us up?" he heard Ikumi ask.

[**"Ao-chan, whatever you hear out there, even if it's me, do NOT step out of this room."**]

"Isamu said he had other matters to finish," the woman replied to Ikumi. Then she scanned over the group with general curiosity.

"Did he say what he was doing?" Jun asked softly.

"Ie, but he did bring his katana with him. I assume that he's getting food," The woman's eyes passed by Aoshi's and met with Ryu. "I'm glad you're back from the dead, Ryu. You look a little bit different than before."

He grinned sheepishly in reply. Silence.

"Sensei, this is my brother Shinomori Aoshi and my friend Makimachi Misao," Ikumi introduced.

"Konnichiwa!" Misao said cheerfully.

Aoshi merely nodded. The woman smiled at the two and bowed politely. 

"It's nice to be able to finally meet you two," she said. "Ikumi-chan here has told me much the past twelve years. My name is Wong Ji Ling."

mountains

After a couple of hours of rides on horseback and stopping for food, Ling and the others reached the infamous Wandon school, masters of the wind. All the while Aoshi's side ached with pain, but he was determined to ignore it. Pain was something that he had grown used to, yet for some odd reason it felt like a thousand needles had attached every time he moved. At times he was dizzy but assumed that it was because he hadn't fully recovered.

Climbing over a few more steps, Ling turned around towards the group. "Well, we're here." 

With one hand, she waved towards the school behind her. All that Misao could do was gawk in awe. The Wandon school was divided into three separate temples, each located on a different mountain and each as big as a small village. The temples were connected by bridges that spanned over a waterfall a thousand feet high. The water sprayed over them, leaving a sprinkled mist over the mountains. The sun seemed ever so close to them yet it did not harm. It was then Misao realized how high they were in the mountains.

She switched back into reality, noticing that everybody had gone ahead of her. Only Aoshi had remained, leaning against a nearby tree. Their eyes met for a sparse moment before he lifted himself off the tree and began to follow the trail left behind by the others. Misao watched him go, letting herself breathe again, and followed after him.

"Ikumi's sensei told us that we can stay here as long as we want to," he said as soon as she caught up to him. "Rest first and then you can wander around later."

"Hai," she replied softly, staring at his stoic face. Inwardly, she felt frustrated. _You're getting colder each day, Aoshi-sama,_ she thought. _Naze?_

~

"Okaasan, do you think the baby's going to be a girl or boy?" a six year old Aoshi asked.

His mother smiled down at him, instinctively rubbing her swollen stomach. 

"Well, what do you think the baby's going to be, Ao-chan?" she asked him in a gentle voice.

Aoshi smiled, his blue eyes brightening at the question. "I think the baby's going to be a boy! That way I can show him all the stuff that otousan taught me."

His mother giggled at her son's excitement. "But if the baby's a girl, then you'd have to protect your little sister from all the boys. Besides, Ao-chan, you have to wait a few years before you can teach your little brother or sister kempo."

Aoshi put on his best serious face. He had been trying to mimic his father. "I will. Promise."

Gunshots echoed outside. Behind him, his mother disappeared and his legs stopped moving. Aoshi was no longer a six year old boy, but his current self. Blood oozed out from his leg wounds and more gunshots rang. He looked up to see the bodies of his four dearest friends lying around him with holes in their chests. Takeda Kanryuu's laughter echoed in the void, mocking him.

**"You can never be worthy of her," **a voice echoed. **"If you couldn't protect them, how can you protect her?"**

"I will protect her!" he shouted at the voice, unafraid. "I can!"

**"You can't,"** the voice retorted.

Misao appeared in the distance before him, half looking back. **"If you couldn't save them, how could you save me?"**

"I..."

**"You promised mother and you broke it," **she said, changing into Ikumi. **"You promised mother and yet you let me go."**

"That's not true! I..."

She changed back into Misao again, walking away. Aoshi tried to run after her, but his legs wouldn't cooperate.

"Misao! Matte!"

**"You could never protect me, Aoshi-sama. Never..." **her voice echoed in the distance. Then he heard her scream.

~

"NOO!!!"

Aoshi sat up straight in bed, gasping for air and hand outstretched. Forcing to calm himself down, he took in deep gulps of air and drew them out slowly. Very slowly.

Wandon School ~ hallway

Misao softly walked down the hallway, carrying a bowl of medicine in a tray. She didn't bother to look ahead of her; she knew where he slept. _I hope Aoshi-sama's okay, _she thought worriedly, frowning. _Why did he just collapse like that?_

"NOO!!"

She paused in front of his door, surprised to hear his yell. _He's awake?_ She listened closely, listened to his ragged breathing and incoherent murmurs. She frowned again. _Aoshi-sama?_

With some hesitation, she knocked.

* * *

MORE AUTHORESS NOTES! ~ Kind of strange, yes? Well...I'll explain it more clearly as soon as I can write the next chapter! R&R! 


	13. Torn

AN: Ahahaha...sorry for the long wait, folks! See, the reason it takes me so long to update my fics is that I just don't update ONE fic in ONE chapter, I update MANY fics in at least two chapters a piece. So...yeah... and then there's the stuff of writer's block, too little time, blah, blah, blah, blah. You get the picture: right? 

ANYHOO....this chapter is pretty much revolved around Aoshi and his feelings about Misao. Just a warning ^^

Chapter Twelve ~ Torn

A soft knock came at the door, startling Aoshi out of his own nightmare. He brushed back his dark bangs out his eyes only to see them fall back into its original place. Swinging his feet off the bed, he took in another deep breath to regain his composure as another knock came. 

_Who would be coming at this time?_ he asked himself even though he knew the answer. There was only one person who would hesitantly knock that way. Her.

"Come in, Misao," he tiredly said.

Misao hesitantly opened the door with her free hand as she carefully carried the tray in. She put on her best smile as she entered, something that came naturally to her in an awkward situation. Her mind was telling herself to be rational; Aoshi would eventually explain to her his past. Her heart, her very soul, however, was demanding the exact opposite. She desperately wanted to know Aoshi as a person, not as the former okashira of the Oniwanbanshuu that she had always known. 

"Konnichiwa, Aoshi-sama!" she greeted him in a cheerful voice, setting the tray down on a nearby table. "I came by to bring your medicine!"

Aoshi eyed the young woman curiously, always surprised at her optimistic attitude. His eyes slowly strayed away from her face to..."other" features in which he quickly looked away at the window before she could notice. _What am I thinking?_

"Medicine?" he asked her in his usual monotonous voice.

Misao paused for a second as she was about to pour the hot water into the medicinal herbs. _He doesn't remember what happened?_

"..Hai. You had a fever because of your, um, injuries," she slowly replied. "Ling-san said that you started getting the first signs of infection and kept you in bed. She said that this medicine was for you."

"Her name isn't Ling," Aoshi murmured.

Misao lifted her head up in surprise. She wasn't expecting to hear a reply from him. "Nani?"

Aoshi mentally cursed to himself for he didn't mean to have his thoughts be heard. He replied in a harsher tone than he had expected, "Nothing, Misao."

Misao gently set the teapot back in its place. "Sou ka..."

Aoshi inwardly winced at the sudden change in her voice, still staring out the window and admiring the scenery outside. He heard her set the teapot down and slide the tray off from the table.

"I'm...going to leave the medicine on the table," Misao hesitantly replied. _Like it's not obvious,_ she berated herself. "Anno...remember to take it, Aoshi-sama, okay?"

"Aa."

Inwardly sighing in defeat, Misao quickly left his room and closed the door behind her. As soon as she was in her own room, her legs gave out and she sank to the floor, the tears finally falling. 

Meanwhile, in solitude, Aoshi heaved out a deep sigh, rubbing the side of his temples as the last few days came rushing back to him. Too many things were coming all at once and too many emotions that he kept hidden from the others were exploding in his head so much that he couldn't take it anymore. He kept telling himself that he didn't deserve Misao, that she was safer without his interference. The dreams, no the _nightmares_ of her lifeless body in her own pool of blood were too frightening for him to bear. He couldn't involve her in his past. He just couldn't.

Temple

Ikumi watched her husband and daughter from a distance, not wanting to interrupt the father-daughter moment. She was so glad that Setsuko had her father's easygoing personality and was able to accept her father. But then again she knew that Setsuko accepted Ryu so easily was due to the fact that she had kept on telling the little girl that her daddy was on a long trip, not wanting to tell her that he had died. Yet he didn't die. A soft smile spread across her lips as she continued to watch.

"She's much the chatterbox," a familiar voice commented behind her. "Reminds me of how you were before that happened."

"That" meant Ikumi's own sense of hell three years before. She turned around, meeting her master's amiable blue eyes.

"I still talk a lot," Ikumi retorted as she turned back to her original position. "I just only talk when I want to now."

"Hmm...so now I see why your brother is so quiet," Ling murmured as she too joined her former student in the watch.

"Wow, I didn't know that he stood out so much."

"I can tell from his eyes the suffering he has gone through," Ling explained. "Such a burden for someone so young."

Ikumi suppressed a giggle. "'Young'? Sensei, he's nearly thirty years old."

"You told me that he was okashira, right?" Ling asked in order to prove her point. "Thirty is young for someone to be okashira who has over twelve years experience."

Ikumi shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so.." She finally took her eyes off of her family to look at Ling. "How is he, by the way?"

"From the last time I checked on him, sound asleep," Ling answered with a smile. "I asked the students to train elsewhere, which is why it's so empty here. Don't worry, he'll be fine." A pause and she broke eye contact, her smile fading. "He reminds me of your father."

Ikumi arched a curious eyebrow. It was the first time in twelve years that she had heard her master speak of her own past. "Sensei, you knew my father?"

"...Somewhat," Ling replied after some thought. "I used to be a member of the Oniwanbanshuu before I came here. Such a shy man he was."

"Did you...know my mother?" Ikumi hesitantly asked. When she immediately got no reply, she looked back at her family. "Gomen nasai, I don't mean to be nosy. It's just that I don't remember my parents well and aniki rarely told me bout them because he doesn't want to remember hearing their deaths."

"Your mother...was very kind," Ling replied. "She and your father loved the both of your dearly."

A slight imbalance of equality on the mountain caught both women's eye. Ryu had also noticed this as well and called Setsuko to come closer to the temple and play as he partially hid his face from the disappearing ninja.

"They're already here," Ikumi murmured.

"Hmm...they like to follow your brother around," Ling commented sarcastically as she got up from her seat. "I'm going to call the students back and train here again. You three go get lunch."

Aoshi's room

Aoshi lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling in boredom. He drank his medicine as he was instructed to but that was all of his daily activities. He had tried to meditate, but it wasn't working and after a few attempts gave up in frustration. Shinomori Aoshi rarely showed emotion to others, but he broke away those barriers when he was alone. He wondered to himself why Misao hadn't come back and was tempted to find her room and actually speak to her. Yet that meant getting up and changing into the clothes that he had brought with him and walking through the complicated hallways of the school with his kodaichi in hand, and he was to lazy to do all that. So Aoshi just sat and waited, letting his thoughts and memories take over.

Why did he say that Ikumi's master's real name was not Ling? Was it because the woman reminded him so much of their mother? And why was he becoming so weak? Was it the poison in his body or something else? With these thoughts in mind, Aoshi closed his eyes and sighed, letting the flashbacks of his nightmares return. He tried to figure out the meaning of the nightmare for they had been reoccurring ever since Ikumi had returned. Did they mean something to him?

Did Misao mean something to him? Anything at all?

He knew the young woman too well. She had tried her hardest to open his heart and yet he pushed her away. He didn't deserve her after what he had done. He couldn't get her involved in more than what she had been the past few days. He knew from the day those ninja had burst in that they belonged to the Azuma. He could not let Misao get involved with his mistakes yet part of him said that she had the right to know. Or did she?

Did he have the right to ruin her life?

AN: *dun dun dun* Yeah, yeah, kinda weird, I know. I'm trying, though! I desperately am! Please R&R, it lets me know what you guys think! ^^


	14. The Red Scorpion

AN: Ah, yes, I FINALLY advance a little in the plot! And who really *is* Ling? Put two and two together and you'll find out later ^^.

Oh, yeah, I know Aoshi is in a state of denial right now ^^. Come to think of it, him and Kenshin are similar in a way, ne? 

Chapter Thirteen ~ The Red Scorpion

After what had seemed like hours of crying, the tears stopped coming. Instead, the sadness was replaced by a void of emotion. For some time Misao just sat there behind the door, gathering her thoughts. She didn't even know why she was crying the first place. Aoshi wasn't her husband or anything so what was the point of crying? He didn't do anything to her to make her feel this way.

"Maybe I'm stressing too much over it," she muttered to herself.

A knock came at the door, startling Misao out of her solitude. "Ne, Misao-chan?"

Misao quickly stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes. "Uh...nani, Iku-chan?"

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Ikumi asked from the other side of the door.

"Anno...hold on for a minute," she replied and hurriedly ran to the mirror to make sure that there were no signs of her crying. Her eyes were a bit red and puffy but other than that she looked somewhat normal.

Misao walked back to the door and opened it, greeting her "sister" with a smile plastered on her face.

"What is it, Iku-chan?" she asked again.

Ikumi eyed Misao for a moment, noticing the slight puffiness around her eyes. She pretended that she didn't notice, adjusting her daughter in her arms.

"Ne, can you look after Set-chan for a while?" she asked in a soft voice so to not wake up her daughter. "Ryu and I have to go with Jun into the city and see if her husband's there and sensei is busy teaching the students, so..."

Misao nodded, getting the message. "Sure! It's no problem. You know me anyway."

"Arigatou," Ikumi said, gently handing over Setsuko to her. "She's been out for half an hour, so I'm guessing that she'll be awake in another hour or so."

Misao giggled lightly as she cradled the little girl in her arms. "Had too much fun with her otousan?"

Ikumi rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it. No need for okaachan anymore. Set-chan had too much fun chasing butterflies with Ryu that she completely forgot about me and the others."

Misao's smile widened, completely forgetting her depression. "Sou ka..."

"So, how's my brother."

"Um..." Misao hesitated for a minute. "He's...he's awake now. I gave him his medicine but I'm not sure if he drank it or not..."

Ikumi pondered for a moment, apparently not seeing the hint of hesitation in her friend's voice. "Maa, he'll go back to normal. That's a good thing, I guess. Anyway, I won't keep you long. If she wakes up before we come home, tell her that otouchan and okaachan are trying to find Isamu-nii and she'll understand."

Misao nodded again. "Hai."

She watched Ikumi go before she sighed and walked back into her room. She carefully set Setsuko down on her bed, covering her with a thick blanket. Even though it was a beautiful day outside, it was also fairly cold since they were up in the mountains during autumn. Misao yearned to be outdoors, exploring the school, but she had to watch Setsuko and that limited her activities. So Misao grabbed a piece of paper and the brush/ink set, dragging a stool as quietly as possible to the bed. She placed the ink on the end table and that was behind her. Dipping the tip of the brush in the black liquid, Misao began to draw.

Aoshi's room

After a few more tries on sleep, Aoshi frustratingly tossed the covers off him and sat up in bed. The window near him was still open and a cost gust swept through the room, but Aoshi didn't even feel the cold even though he was only wearing pants and was barefoot. He welcomed the cold. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes as the wind circled around his body.

If it wasn't for his good hearing, he would have missed the slight _thump_ noise that sneaked into the room.

His eyes snapped open at the sound, and he looked over at its source. On the floor of the room was a small roll of paper that had been apparently thrown in through the window. Aoshi slowly got out of bed, a bit woozy from the lack of food. However, he kept his balance and walked towards the item. Wrapped around the paper was a thin black ribbon. When the sunlight reflected off of it, he could see intricate blood red scorpions sewn into them. Aoshi's eyes narrowed. The only group who would wrap their messages that way was the group that Aoshi had dreaded seeing again.

"Azuma," he whispered as he picked up the parchment and unrolled it.

He didn't bother to see who had thrown in the message; the ninja was already gone.

_Funny how we became Edo's guardians when they were the better clan,_ he mused to himself. _They haven't changed, even after the Bakumatsu._

He unrolled the paper to his full length, letting the ribbon fall to the floor. An unfelt level of anger surged through him as he read:

**_You're lucky that your girl isn't a dead corpse...yet. Better keep an eye on her or your poison is going to be much worse than the last._**

He crumpled the paper in anger and took a glance out the window even though there was nothing except fro the false serenity and calm of the mountains. They were toying with him, he knew. Yet they were dragging Misao into his mess, using her to distract him. Uttering a low growl, he shut the window and began to gather his things. He paused in the middle of buttoning the last on his shirt as he regained some sense of control. What was he doing?

Only one word crossed his mind: Misao.

He wanted to make sure that she was okay, that was all. _Make sure that she's all right,_ he mentally repeated to himself. _Nothing else. Don't let the note scare you._

He again stopped at the thought. The note was making him afraid? Of what? Of Misao's safety?

Yet this was a martial arts school, so there was no need to worry. The Wandon School was the school whose students mastered the wind, an element as unpredictable as water. Misao could also take care of herself. He remembered him silently observing her as she trained day after day when Shishio's little escapade had ended. Her accuracy on the kunai had improved and her kempo was a bit stronger than before. This still did not get rid of the feeling that Aoshi had in the pit of his stomach. It was the exact same feeling he had when something bad happened. His parents' deaths during the Azuma raid when he was child, Ikumi's kidnapping when he had first been appointed okashira, and more recently, the deaths of the very men who had stood by him: Hannya, Beshimi, Shikijou, Hyottoko.

After slipping on his shoes, Aoshi unconsciously grabbed his kodaichi as he left the room. The pain in his side no longer ached, the dizziness had disappeared, the effects of the poison faded to a minor irritation. Aoshi hoped that his gut feeling of tragedy wouldn't ring true. 

There was no drug like adrenaline.

Temple

Ling was correcting a student's stance as she kept a careful eye on her surroundings when she noticed Aoshi watching from behind the shadows of the great pillars of the temple. She called to her assistant and approached Aoshi, keeping a bright smile on her face.

"So you're awake," Ling greeted, pretending to not notice the flicker of apprehension in his eyes. "The poison has worn off, then?"

Aoshi simply nodded his gratitude. Ling could tell that his walls were becoming impenetrable once again.

"Where's Misao?" he asked in a harsher tone than he had liked.

Ling looked at him questionably. "I thought she was with you?" Getting no reply, she continued, "Maa, she's probably in her room then, taking care of Setsuko-chan. Your sister left with Ryu and Jun a while ago." 

Again Aoshi nodded. "Sou ka..."

Ling tore her eyes away from his gaze, pointing down the hallway to her left. "Her room is down this hall before it turns right, on the left side. It's pretty easy to find; her room is the only one with plants outside."

Aoshi blinked in surprise as he managed to say, "Arigatou."

As he began to walk away, Ling called out, "Oh, Ao...Shinomori-kun!" He stopped, turning back halfway. "Turn your kodaichi around so that you can't draw them. I don't want my students to feel intimidated."

Aoshi simply nodded and followed her requests before continuing on his way. Ling watched his figure disappear from her view and she sighed to herself, shaking off forgotten memories, before returning to her class.

Misao's room

After drawing for half an hour, Misao's eyes began to droop with sleepiness. She yawned silently and crept cautiously over to the bed, leaving her drawings out to dry. She gently eased herself onto the bed and wrapped a comforting arm around her "niece", letting the sleep overcome her. It had been a rough day, and she was getting tired of having to fight it. Misao just wished that everything would be over with.

Too deep in her sleep, she didn't hear someone enter the room, slowly taking out a dagger from its sheath and getting ready to draw blood.


	15. Relationship Dilemma

AN: Yay, new chapter up finally! Sorry to leave you all hanging like that ^^;;; I had NO clue that the cliffhanger was _that_ bad. *laughs sheepishly* The reason why I took so long is because I was in the middle of trying to finish up my Gundam Wing fic: The True Victor and playing Kingdom Hearts and Mah Jong (sp?) at the same time. Those games are so addicting I swear....

Anyhoo, read on and R&R!

Chapter Fourteen ~ Relationship Dilemma

Too deep in her sleep, Misao didn't hear someone enter her room, slowly taking out a dagger from its sheath and getting ready to strike.

Until...

some small village

(AN: HAHAHAHAHA, you thought that I was going to finish that scene, didn't you?)

"Hmmm...." Ikumi murmured, letting the steam from her bowl of noodles warm her face. Her cheeks burned a light pink from the cold.

Ryu slurped in his first gulp of his bowl of noodles, staring at his wife inquisitively. "Huh? What is it? You're not hungry?"

Ikumi frowned, pulling her bowl closer to her protectively. "You're NOT going to have my food, anata."

Ryu grinned sheepishly. "I was just kidding...."

"Sure you were, hotshot," Ikumi commented, rolling her eyes. She took her pair of chopsticks in her hands and swirled the noodles around absentmindedly. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"When I came to see Misao-chan, it looked like she had been crying," she sighed. "I'm not sure about what, though."

"You shouldn't worry about it. From what I see, Misao would tell you if something's wrong."

Ikumi shook her head, finally taking in her first bite of her meal. "It's not that, Ryu. I know that Misao-chan would tell me, but it feels kinda strange. "It's been twelve years; it's not going to be that easy for them to open up."

Ryu arched a curious eyebrow as he finished his meal in one gulp. "Them?"

"My brother and Misao-chan. Just think of a little girl who was only four to have a crush on someone ten years older than her, and she still continues to love him to this very day. That's how long Misao-chan has loved my brother. It's all common knowledge in the Oniwanbashuu, including Aoshi-nii. Almost everyone thought that Misao-chan was going through one of those childhood phases, except for me. I could understand her better than anyone. That is..."

Ikumi closed her eyes, letting her concealed memories return to her in a momentary flash. "That is...until I was taken away by the Azuma."

Ryu eyed his wife closely as she said her words, recognizing the emotion of pain that briefly swept across her facial features. He remained silent, knowing quite well that there were still scars deep within her heart and speaking any further about them would cause the scars to reopen. Ikumi recovered quickly from her lapse, however, as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Anyway, they've both changed so much. It's not surprising to me that tension would arise," Ikumi concluded.

"...I don't think you should try so hard, Iku," Ryu replied after some thought. "You should just let them be."

"That's the thing, anata, I can't," Ikumi tried to point out. "Aoshi-nii has basically shut his heart from anybody that tries to come near, except for me. Even after all this time, he still confides in me. Misao's trying so hard to pry that lock in his heart open, and all that Aoshi-nii does is seal himself away."

"Seal himself? From what?"

Ikumi stared into her bowl, the glimmer of the soup reflecting back the face that reminded her of her brother. "From the guilt and pain that he might cause if he lets Misao open that lock. Yet he doesn't want to admit to himself that Misao is the one of the few people that keeps him living. He doesn't want his memories and past become the downfall of one of the very people he holds dear to."

Ryu slowly began to understand, letting her words sink in. He began to understand why his wife was so intent on putting Misao and Aoshi together. Her burden was the same as her brother's: death.

in another part of the village

Asarai Jun was a woman not to be dealt with when in the hunt for her husband. She frantically split through the crowded streets, her patience gradually progressing to frustration at each minute that passed.

_Mou, Isamu no baka! The one time I leave for a trip back home and he leaves the school! Trying to hunt for food my ass, he just made that excuse to Ling-sensei to escape! He's probably gambling or something..._ Jun rambled on and on in her head the various possible crimes that her husband could accomplish within a few hours. She inwardly sighed to herself. This was what she got for marrying a bandit.

Spotting the closest tavern that she could find after no luck with the restaurants, Jun quickly went inside and walked straight to the counter where the owner sat to greet his customers. Upon seeing Jun after a rather dull afternoon, the owner's eyes brightened in delight.

"Welcome, miss! How long do you plan to stay?" he asked in Cantonese.

"Um...I'm not actually staying," Jun replied somewhat hesitantly in the same language. When she saw the cheerfulness fade from the owner's eyes, she quickly added, "But I do need your help."

She immediately went right into her interrogation. "Have you seen a man about this tall," she outstretched her arm to full length above her head, "with brown hair cut to neck length, bangs held back by a bandana, quite athletic, and looks like a criminal?"

The owner laughed full heartily. "That describes just about everyone in this tavern, miss! Does he have anything significant on him that might stand out?"

Jun thought for a moment. _Well, this is getting somewhere at least. _

"He has a sword with him that has a head of a dragon on the hilt," she replied.

"Dragon head on the hilt, you say?" the owner repeated thoughtfully. "I DO remember seeing a young man coming in having something like that. It's a black dragon head, isn't it?"

Jun's hopes lightened a bit at the new information. "Hai! Do you happen to know if he's still here?"

The owner smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but no. I kicked him out of the tavern after he and some other men he was gambling with got into some sort of argument and destroyed some of my belongings in the process. Do you know how much all that damage is going to cost me?"

Jun inwardly sighed, her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry..."

The owner laughed again, "Oh, don't be sorry, miss! It's not your fault. Why do you seek him for?"

Jun's lips curled into a very tired and frustrated smile as she looked back up at the owner. "He's my husband, Mr. Owner. I do really apologize. I had a feeling that something like this was going to happen when I was away."

The owner was taken aback. "Your husband, miss! Kami, you look too sophisticated to be married to someone like him."

Jun laughed, shaking her head. "He's a very kind man, my husband. Just gets into trouble a lot. Do you happen to know where he went?"

The owner shook his head. "Not that I know of when I kicked him and the other men fighting with him out. There's rumors among us owners of the restaurants and taverns that your husband is making quite a reputation of himself lately in the village."

Jun nodded absentmindedly at the information, only half listening to his words. "Figures...Maa, thank you anyway, Mr. Owner."

"If I find anything that may help you, please come back to see me."

"Okay, thank you."

As the owner watched her leave, the thought to himself how horrible it must be to have a spouse who wandered. He was sure that if he ever did that to his own wife, he wouldn't be living at home anymore.

Wandon School ~ Misao's room

The silent assassin crept towards Misao's and Setsuko's prone forms, drawing out its weapon, and was about to pierce the dagger into Misao's chest when it heard something. Footsteps. Footsteps that were coming to this room.

The assassin cursed to itself and quickly resheathed the dagger. It dashed towards the open window and jumped out, accidentally knocking down the inkwell on the table. Just as soon as the assassin left, Aoshi opened the door. He looked around the room until his eyes finally settled upon two lumps on the bed, their breathing slow and steady. He inwardly sighed with relief, but for some odd reason, something inside of him compelled Aoshi to enter the room. Like the former Oniwanbanshuu leader he was, Aoshi entered the room without a sound. His eyes were still focused on Misao and Setsuko's sleeping forms while his legs guided him to the open window nearby. He made sure that he wasn't too close to the bed while walking around the room lest Misao or Setsuko would awaken.

He forced his eyes away from Misao's sleeping form, repeating to himself that she was fine. She was still alive. He scanned over the table where the inkwell had fallen and a few papers were left to dry in the sun. Luckily the inkwell was only quarter full, so when it spilled over, it didn't make that much of a mess. Aoshi easily cleaned up the dark ink with a few spare sheets of paper left on the side.

After cleaning up the mess, Aoshi looked over the other papers that were held back by a marble stone to keep them from flying away in the wind. He realized that they were drawings. Drawings made by Misao. He never knew that she could draw, but then again he never really let her tell him. He never really let her into anything involved with him. He felt a strong link to himself in one of her drawings. It was unfinished, but he could see what it was. It was a drawing of a leaf floating on top of water. Ripples stirred as the leaf made contact with the water, but it didn't fully penetrate the water's surface. Yet...it stayed there, forever bonded with the water. The drawing reminded Aoshi of himself, of his relationship with Misao. He knew that she loved him, loved him to the very point of sacrificing her life to attain his happiness. He wasn't sure of himself, though. He only thought of her as yet another little sister. One who seemed to be forever attached to him no matter where he went.

**But do you still think of her as one?** a voice inside asked himself.

He just wasn't sure. Just wasn't sure...

Too entranced with the drawing and lost in his own thoughts, Aoshi didn't hear Misao wake up until she asked, "Aoshi-sama, what are you doing here?"


	16. Secrets

Chapter Fifteen ~ Secrets

"Aoshi-sama, what are you doing here?"

Startled by the sound of her voice, Aoshi turned around abruptly. His wall had slightly chipped away, but it quickly repaired itself when he gazed emotionlessly into her eyes.

"Just...checking," he replied. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

She immediately got out of bed, which answered his question, and without hesitation, her hand went to his damp forehead like how a mother did to her sick child.

"Are you sure you should be up, Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked with concern. "Ling-san said that it would take time for you to recover."

"I'm fine, Misao," Aoshi assured her, turning away from her touch like he always had done. "...I just wanted to check up on you, that's all."

_Check up on me? _Misao repeated quizzically. "Then why did you have to bring your kodaichi?"

Aoshi stiffened at the question as he looked out at the vast beauty of the forests and cold mountain hair beyond the school. He wasn't sure how to respond; he couldn't just tell her the truth. That would mean telling Misao everything that Shinomori Aoshi kept hidden for her own safety's sake: his own dark past.

Fortunately for him, Setsuko had woken up from her nap. She sat upright in the small bed, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes.

"'Kaachan?" she asked the two adults standing in front of her. 

Misao had been the first to react, leaving Aoshi's side.

Misao repeated Ikumi's instructions, "Set-chan, your mommy and daddy went to look for Isamu-nii." 

"Isamu-nii went to play without Jun-neechan again?" Setsuko asked. It was an innocent question, but it stirred memories inside Aoshi. Memories that remained permanently scarred in his heart.

Flashback

"Oniichan!"

He had hurriedly run into their new room in their new home of the Oniwanbanshuu at his sister's call. His small, slim body was on alert for the past few days after their parents' deaths, and life had not given him any breaks between Oniwanbanshuu training and taking care of his toddler little sister at the same time.

He slid the door open, revealing his sister sitting upright on the futon. Bright, glistening tears streamed down her round cheeks. Her ice blue eyes, usually cheerful, were filled with sadness and fear. The boy sighed in relief and went over to the futon, wrapping his arms around his sister.

"Had another nightmare again, Iku-chan?" he asked softly, setting her petite frame down gently on his lap.

She nodded slightly against his chest, sniffling. "Those meanies were made at otouchan and okaachan."

He nodded in understanding, letting her continue with her tale as he always did. However, she had looked up at him with eyes that were the same as his own. 

"Did they go to play without us again?" she asked him as the old tears were refreshed with new ones. They were dangerously close to falling.

What could he tell her? That their mommy and daddy were dead and never coming back again? How could you explain something like that to a one-and-a-half year old? Instead the boy sighed, pulling his sister closer to him and closing his eyes. "Aa, they went to play without us again."

End of Flashback

"Mmhm, that's right, Set-chan," Misao's reply shook Aoshi out of memory lane. "Ne, are you hungry?"

Setsuko's eyes widened with glee. "Hai!!"

"My, someone's rather refreshed after he nap," Ling's voice addressed behind Aoshi in a language that he couldn't understand.

Setsuko jumped off the bed and ran to her. "Obaachan!"

Ling picked her up in her arms effortlessly with a bright smile on her face. "You didn't say 'hi' to me when you came back, set-chan."

"Gomen ne, obaachan!" Setsuko replied back in Japanese.

Ling turned back to Aoshi and Misao, replying in their language, "I guess everything is fine. Thank you for watching Set-chan, Misao-chan."

Misao grinned. "It's no problem, Ling-san."

"Then I'll leave you two alone," Ling replied. She turned to leave with Setsuko but paused halfway. Her eyes seemed to bore into Aoshi's own, but her words were addressed to both inhabitants of the room. "Another thing. I suggest that you close the windows to your rooms. There have been a lot of intrusions lately, and I don't want to see anyone here hurt."

They both numbly nodded, and Ling took her leave. An uncomfortable silence lingered. Aoshi walked over to the window and closed them. He didn't need to close them, he knew that Misao would do it on her own accord, but it was something for him to do in the awkward silence. The silence was unnerving even for him, a person who was used to solitude most of his life. Misao just watched him, catching a glimpse of the flickering emotions in his eyes. She knew that he was hiding something from her.

"Aoshi-sama--" she hesitated as he turned back to look at her with eyes that had always made her heart flutter every time she looked into them. She bit her lower lip, turning away from his gaze. "Anno...what did Ling-san mean by intruders?"

Aoshi carefully thought about his answer. "Azuma has a wide range of communication outside of Japan. It's best to be cautious." _Funny, I sound like a reporter._

She looked up at him again, curious. "Azuma?"

It was Aoshi's turn to look away as he grabbed his ni-kodaichi that he had set on the table when he came in before. "They're like us, Misao. The Azuma clan worked for the Shogunate during the Bakumatsu. However, the Oniwanbanshuu and Azuma clans have been bitter rivals since your grandfather had broken ties."

**_Ao-chan, take care of your sister._**

He began to leave, not wanting to give anymore away, but Misao grabbed his arm. He didn't dare look at her, not wanting to see the desperation in her eyes.

"Matte, Aoshi-sama, what do you mean about my grandfather breaking ties?" she asked. When he tried to slip away from her hold, she pulled him back. "You're hiding something from me and I know it! Aoshi-sama, please tell me! Onegai!"

**_How long have you two been hiding here?_**

Aoshi slightly turned his head, still not looking at her. "It's best for you to not know, Misao..."

**_The old traditions have died. It's time for the youth to stand and lead our clan for the age of tomorrow. _**

"Doushite? Why can't I k now?"

**Are you going to let the very person dear to you die?!?**

Aoshi took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, pulling his arm away from her loose hold and left the room without an answer.

back to the village

Husband and wife strolled through the crowded streets, searching for their lost friend.

"Mou, where do you think he went to?" Ikumi asked, covering her eyes from the sun.

"Patience is a virtue, Ikumi," Ryu replied, wrapping an arm around her slender waist. Some of the locals were giving the couple some odd stares, but he didn't really care because they didn't even understand what they were saying anyway. "Isamu couldn't have gone far. This is the only village near the school for miles."

"Patience isn't a virtue for Jun," Ikumi pointed out, resting her head against her husband's shoulder. "I feel sorry for her sometimes."

Ryu chucked and noticed Jun approaching them, tired and just about ready to give up.

"Have you found him?" she asked.

They shook their heads. Jun sighed in frustration.

"We did hear rumors the Isamu has made quite a reputation for himself, though," Ikumi remarked to cheer up her friend.

"So did I," Jun murmured. "Isamu no baka..."

Ryu looked past Jun, however, his mind registering familiarity about a young man being thrown out of a restaurant nearby along with a couple of other men. Jun and Ikumi followed his gaze and turned around only to see a crowd gathering around the restaurant's entrance. The owner stood in front of her restaurant, a fairly angry old woman with disarrayed gray hair tied up in a bun.

"Now I want to you stay out, you hear me?" the woman shouted in Cantonese. "I don't allow drunks and punks to come in and make a mess of my restaurant!"

"Oi, it's not our fault, you hag!" one of the men on the ground slurred as he was helped up by one of his friends. "You shoulda blamed the stupid kid who started it!"

"Who the hell're you calling a kid?" the young man demanded, brushing the dust off of his pants. He brushed his tangled brown hair back to rid them of irritating his eyes. "I ain't the one who tries to throw a bowl at an innocent lady."

"Shaddup, ya punk!" another of the drunken men slurred.

"Says who?"

"I don't care who started it!" the old woman screeched. A young woman appeared behind her timidly, hiding most of herself behind the old woman. "I'm not letting any drunken idiot harass my granddaughter around!"

Ikumi heard Jun utter a low growl of anger, but before she could stop her, she was gone.

The crowd was oblivious to a fairly angry young woman on the rooftops, her eyes glaring dangerously at her husband below. Without hesitation, she tossed a smoke screen at the crowd, causing panic and confusion among the public. Jun could care less, though, as she jumped off the restaurant's roof and grabbed her husband's shoulder, the only person who didn't _look_ like he was drunk. He had sharply turned around at her touch, expecting an attack, but instead his eyes widened in surprise.

"Jun!"

"Come one," she growled, leading him away to escape.

Jun and the young man leaped across the rooftops until landing softly away from the restaurant where they met Ikumi and Ryu.

"Still the same old Isamu, I see," Ryu commented with a small smile on his face.

Isamu did a double take at seeing Ryu, his emerald eyes seemingly glowing in the semi-darkness. "R-Ryu-sensei..."

"Can we go yet?" Jun interrupted, tapping her foot impatiently.

Isamu knew that look. "Look, Jun, I can explain..."

"You can explain when we get back," Jun cut him off, turning around. "Let's go."

Isamu was about to say something to his wife in pleading his case but thought the better of it and sighed, following her out of the village. Ikumi and Ryu looked at each other and sighed as well, shaking their heads.

It was going to be a long trip home.

Wandon School ~ Kitchen

So close. She was this close in taking away his precious, and he had to cut it short. Kai Xuan Sai was a woman who despised using cowardly techniques of death unlike her half sister, Miyuki, but she could not go against Shinomori Aoshi head on. To do that was suicide, especially with the Wandon School backing him.

So, this was the only way she could break Shinomori Aoshi's mask: to take away the very woman that he loved.

"Kai Xuan?" a familiar voice asked behind her.

Sai jumped a little at the call of her surname, turning around to face her "master". Ling looked at her quizzically, unaware of the pouch of poison inside Sai's clothing.

"Are you done with the food, yet?" Ling asked her.

Sai turned back to the meal that she was preparing. "Um...the soup's almost done. I can bring it out to the others if you like, Ling-sensei."

"That would be very helpful of you," Ling replied with a smile, patting Sai gently on the shoulder. "Arigatou."

As soon as Ling left the kitchen, Sai turned back to the soup she had prepared, setting out the bowls. There was one particular bowl she favored over the rest. Decorating it were intricate red patterns that didn't really show anything special in particular unless one would take a closer look at the bowl. The patterns did show an abstract design of a scorpion, the trademark of the Azuma clan.

Nobody had suspected her of any evil. She was, according to the school, an orphan.

Sai calmly poured in the poison into the bowl. She ten poured the soup into every bowl accompanying the one that she would give to Misao, stirring Misao's bowl thoroughly to mix the poison inside. Sai smiled to herself. _This is going to be too easy._

AN: Uh....hehehehehe. I'm too cruel, yes ^^. R&R!


	17. To Fight For Her

Long Long Author's notes!

Hello everybody! Sorry it took so long to post this up, been busy with school projects, work, and all. Finals week is evil! I tell you, evil!!

...*ahem* Sorry, just had to blurt that out ^^. I'm just glad that I'm not in Physics class where most of my friends are *sweatdrop* Since it took me so long for me to post this chapter up, I made it a little longer than usual, just for your reading pleasure. See how nice of a person I am? ^^.

Anyway, just a few lil' shoutouts o some of my reviewers:

Perry - I have NO clue how long this'll be. I make up everything as I go, but I think that this chapter is the climax, so don't worry. It *might* end sooner than you think ^^.

Noa - You asked for sister intervention and here it is! Finally ^^. Sorry for all the cliffhangers to leave you hanging like that!

Seychella - Without having the chapters as long as it is already, I decided that Ryu is easily accepted via my magic wand. He's just got a lot of scars on his face during a previous encounter with Rokou a while back (it'll be explained in the next chapter) and pretended to be his loyal servant by going under the alias of Toraki. He's under a lot of suspicion by the school, though, so he's not really out in the open just yet. Ah, yes, you guessed right about Ling (been wondering if people have figured it out yet, you're the first and only to tell me in the review ^^). Her entire purpose of hiding herself? It will be revealed in Chapter 18 ^^. Yeah, I got this nifty lil' scene I want to put in Chapter 18 and ladida...you just have to wait ^^.

Thank you to all my other reviewers for the feedback as well! Your words and support help me a lot in continuing to write.

Now enough rambling from me, on with the show!

...Oh yeah, almost forgot. I know Aoshi's an idiot right now. I got so frustrated with him that I decided to knock some sense into his head in this chapter *hinthint*

Chapter Sixteen ~ To Fight For Her...

How many times in his life was he going to fall away? To push himself away from her? To deny happiness?

Did he even deserve happiness?

Shinomori Aoshi pondered on these thoughts while watching the candlelight and remembering back to the day's events.

Flashback

"Matte, Aoshi-sama, what do you mean about my grandfather breaking ties?" Misao asked. When he tried to slip away from her hold, she pulled him back. "You're hiding something from me and I know it! Aoshi-sama, please tell me! Onegai!"

Memories hidden deep within his heart began to resurface. The day when Okina had found him and Ikumi, the day when his mother hid them before she died by the hands of the Azuma, the day when he was surprisingly appointed Okashira through Okina's decline and wise words...

He slightly turned his head, not wanting to look into her eyes, "It's best for you to not know, Misao..."

"Doushite? Why can't I know??"

End of Flashback

_Why didn't I tell her? _he asked himself. His mind had screamed to him at the time to set her down and explain what dangers lied ahead. However, a small voice, that young boy inside of him, the one that remained scarred to the death of his parents, said not to. She would be killed if she knew. He was the only target of the Azuma, the only one that Miraimoto Rokou wanted to destroy.

Or so he thought.

Earlier that afternoon ~ outside

When he had left the room and out of her view, Misao let out a breath of air that she didn't realize that she was holding. She fought back the tears that immediately sprung into her eyes, remembering the vow that she took earlier that day when she left his room. She vowed to never cry over him anymore. Ever.

But why, oh why, was it so hard to do?

Her stomach growled with a menace, signaling Misao that it was time to eat and stop the tears that came dangerously close to falling. She hadn't eaten much the past few days and wouldn't have eaten anything at all if it had not been for Ikumi's persistent persuasion.

_Just forget about everything for now and keep your strength up, _she repeated the words in her head and stepped out of her room. She could hear Setsuko's laughter in the grand courtyard, and her mind drifted back to the days when she was her age. To the days when Misao could care less about the events happening around her. All that mattered to her back then was not to lose Aoshi like how she had lost his sister. Then he, Hannya, Beshimi, Shikijou, and Hyottoko left the Aoiya without saying good-bye.

"Makimachi-san?"

The unfamiliar voice startled her out of her thoughts and Misao turned to face a young woman around Ikumi's age carrying a large tray filled with bowls of steaming soup. Misao remembered seeing her around the school in one of the lessons. What surprised her was that the woman could speak her language with ease, which was rather unusual in the school.

_Maybe there are a few more people who can speak Japanese like Ling-san and Ryu..._she thought.

"Daijoubu, Makimachi-san?" the woman asked, cocking her head curiously to the side. "You seem a bit distant today."

"Oh, I-I'm fine, really," she lied and plastered a fake smile to her lips. "Just...tired, I guess."

Her stomach involuntarily rumbled loudly in the empty hallway. Misao blushed with embarrassment. The woman laughed and handed her one of the bowls of soup.

"Hai," the woman said with a twinkle in her eye. "I should be giving this to Ling-sensei, but since you're hungry, I don't think that she'll mind if you eat first."

"Arigatou," Misao replied and gratefully accepted the bowl. She examined the bowl curiously, careful not to let the soup spill. Intricate red patterns engraved into the bowl were the first things that struck out in Misao's eyes. She smiled at the enigmatic pattern, trying to figure out its true meaning.

"This is so pretty..." she complimented, which brought a smile to the other woman's lips. "Um..."

"My name is Kai Xuan, Makimachi-san," the woman replied, her golden brown eyes twinkling in anticipation. "I made that bowl myself."

"You did? Wow..."

"Maa, I have to bring the rest of the dinner to the others," Kai Xuan replied and began to turn away. "I hope you like it, Misao." _And I hope you live the death of the poison as well._

Misao nodded in reply, not noticing the slight change in Kai Xuan's behavior nor the sudden change in tone of voice. "Mm, I will! This soup smells delicious!"

Kai Xuan had already disappeared around the corner when Misao said her words, but she really didn't care. All that mattered to her right now was to get her stomach under control and took her first sip of the soup. It tasted just as delectable to her taste buds than what her eyes saw; she wanted to take another sip when it hit her. The searing pain of the poison rushed through her entire body like fire, and it soon became unbearable to contain. The beautiful bowl she was given shattered to the floor, spilling its contents out like blood. It became hard to breath, almost as if someone managed to enter her body and constrict her lungs with needles so that each and every breath she took was as painful as walking upon sharp rocks.

_What's going on? _she thought frantically. _What's happening to me?_

"Misao!" a familiar voice shouted behind her.

She managed to turn her head at the sound of the voice to see a tall, dark figure running to her. Was it Death?

"Aosh---" she managed to cry out before darkness completely overtook her.

Funny thing was: she welcomed it.

He had been too cold towards her; she deserved an answer. She deserved to know what was really going on. She wasn't a child anymore.

Those were the thoughts that continuously ran into Aoshi's mind as he slowly made his way back to Misao's room from the long hallway in between light and darkness.

Light and dark, that was how he portrayed his life. The darkness always allowed Aoshi to fall into solitude: it was the reason why the other members of the Oniwanbashuu, those who were older and wiser than he, were able to follow him as Okashira. It was also the reason why he had fallen to the path of chaos. Very little light entered in the darkness and those that entered were eventually engulfed by the darkness of faded away. Yet...one light did stay, and it was the only one that managed to keep Aoshi sane.

He saw Misao talking to a young woman and stopped. He stood where he was and watched, knowing that he was pretty far from their view and knowing that he was not yet ready to talk to her just yet. In Misao's hands, he could see that she was holding something but wasn't sure what it was because the item had been obscured by her petite hands.

The other woman turned and walked away, leaving Misao alone. Aoshi waited a few moments before deciding to approach her, not looking up from his shoes as he walked, when he heard a crash. His head snapped up at the noise and instinct began to take over. Misao was clutching at her throat as if some searing fire suddenly ran through her.

His ice blue eyes, usually devoid of emotion, widened in shock. His feet, normally planted in one place, quickly began to move. Lengthy, athletic limbs mae use of themselves and ran towards Misao's crumbling figure, fear taking over the gut feeling he had earlier.

"MISAO!"

She turned her head at the sound of his voice, and he could see that whatever she had was slowly overtaking her petite body.

"Aosh---" she managed to croak out before collapsing into his arms.

"Misao! Misao!"

No matter how much he called her name, she would not respond, only writhe in pain from the deadly drops of poison in her body. His eyes painfully turned away from her to the broken bowl of soup nearby as a portion of the school's students and Ling rushed into the hallway. Incomprehendible voices scoured into the room, voices that were in a different language but asked the same question: what was wrong?

Aoshi did not hear any of their words. All he could understand were the dancing red scorpions laughing back at him in shattered porcelain. He at first thought they were just illusions and blinked to make sure, but they were still there. Crimson scorpions revealed themselves in his eyes, showing their secret and mocking him, taunting him, haunting him, whispering:

**Too late, too late...**

More footsteps, more voices entered, but they meant nothing to him.

**You failed her...**

"Aoshi..Aoshi!" a familiar voice shouted at him, but he did not reply. Firm hands took a hold of his shoulders and shook him, continuing to repeat his name.

But all he heard were three words: **You failed her.**

Then another word shined into the darkness. "Ao-chan!"

Aoshi's head snapped up from the ground and he stared into familiar brown eyes and a familiar face. Ling stared at him with concern written over her features, knowing that the wall had been broken. Stray, gray-black strands of hair slipped out underneath the hat she wore and curled around her face, portraying a hauntingly familiar picture of his past. Aoshi blinked, the picture not fading away.

_Okaasan?_

"Aoshi, can you tell me what happened?" Ling asked him in a soothing voice as Ikumi and the others, who had just returned from their trip, ordered the other students back to their lessons.

_Didn't she call me 'Ao-chan'?_

"I...left the room and...came back to find Misao talking to...one of the students," he slowly replied to gather his thoughts.

Unconsciously, he handed over Misao's writhing form to Jun who had asked him before but didn't hear. Jun nearly retracted back her hand before she was even able to check Misao's temperature.

"She's running a fever," she said to nobody in particular. 

Ikumi, Ryu, and a new face for Aoshi to recognize had finished sending away the students and returned to see Misao's condition. Everything came in a blur for Aoshi then, barely able to catch Jun's husband's name, and found himself standing in a distant corner of Misao's room as Jun attended to her.

"Misao-chan, I know it's hard, but you have to stay still!"

"What does she have?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, but we have to bring this fever down. Isamu, I don't care how you do it, but get some ice and a bucket of water right now!"

"Uh...right!"

"Get me some blankets. She may be running a fever, but she's shivering. These won't be enough."

"Where did you send Ryu to?"

"He's getting Set-chan and interrogating anybody else who had seen what happened."

"Aniki, did you see anything else?"

Aoshi looked up from the floor at the sound of his sister's voice, his own emoetions beginning to seal themselves away again as they always did. "She was given a bowl of something...I think it was soup."

The realization suddenly hit him then. How could he have been so blind? Rokou had sworn vengence upon Aoshi, the one who had effectively reduced the Azuma to this deadly few during the Bakumatsu. Aoshi was certain the Rokou would only go after him, but he had forgotten that the man had indirect ways of extracting pain, no matter who the person was. Miraimoto Rokou was a master in exploiting weaknesses of his enemies.

Ikumi gently laid a hand upon her brother's arm. "Aniki?"

"That woman..." Aoshi murmured, still not looking up from the floor. "Who was in charge of the kitchen?" 

"Kai Xuan was," Ling replied while she and Jun continued to struggle with Misao.

"Kai Xuan?" Ikumi and Jun asked simultaneously.

"Aa. She just transferred from the south."

Kai Xuan...he had heard that name somewhere before.

"Just transferred? I didn't know that you COULD transfer from the different schools, sensei."

Aoshi kept repeating the name in his head as if it would somehow strike a cord in the memory bank. He HAD heard that name somewhere before.

"I was surprised myself, but Wong-san allowed the transfer. She arrived here about a week ago."

Kai...it rhymed with the weapons he had once loved before turning to the kodaichi: sais. Everything came clear to him now. 

"That name is an alias," Aoshi blurted out. All eyes turned to him. "Her real name is Nakamoto Sai. A member of the..."

His eyes widened in shock and, without even thinking, his feet took him out of the room in search of the woman responsible for Misao's suffering. He could barely hear his sister call out to him nor did he care right now. All that mattered to him was revenge, even if he didn't know what to do. He had to find that woman.

Footsteps ran behind him, playing catch up. He didn't hear them until a hand grabbed his arm and spun him back the other way. Reflex told him to counter attack, but he had no weapons on him and met the matching eyes of his sister.

"Aniki, I know what you're thinking, but clear your head for a second!" she exclaimed.

"My mind is clear, Ikumi, now let me go," Aoshi ordered in an unusually cool and cold voice.

As he tried to slip away, Ikumi pulled him back. Unlike Misao, however, her grip was strong and determined to not let go.

"And how exactly are you going to find this woman?" she demanded and pulled back even harder as Aoshi tried to pull away. "Oniichan, listen to me!"

He froze, not having heard the name in twelve years. Ikumi took in a deep breath and bit her lip, slowly forming the next set of orders in her mind.

"Look at me."

He slowly looked to meet his sister's eyes. Eyes that reflected back his own pain and guilt. Ikumi finally let go of his arm and let out a deep sigh. 

"Oniichan, do you love Misao-chan?" she quietly asked him. When no reply came from him, she repeated, "Do you?"

It took Aoshi a while to repsond "...Ikumi, it's..."

"Has nothing to do with you because you know how Misao-chan feels about you. But how do you feel about her? Truthfully from the hear? Because if you go out and chase that 'Sai' woman, then you're going to be seeing Misao-chan's deathbed."

Aoshi's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're doing the exact same thing as I did when Fei was poisoned!" Ikumi blurted out, not wanting to hide her past any longer. She added a bit more quietly, looking away from him, "...and how I reacted when Ryu fell off the cliff two years before." She looked back up at her brother again, her eyes determined to find an answer. "So tell me before you start to go off on a rampage: do you love Misao?"

Aoshi sighed, releasing all the years he had spent pushing his emotions away and remaining in control. He was tired from sealing everything away, and he knew he was hiding from the truth from himself. He closed his eyes and brushed back his hair. "I do."

"Truly?"

He nodded, letting his own words sink in. "Hai."

"Then why do you hide from her?"

"Because I'm afraid."

"Afraid of her falling away from you?"

Again he nodded. 

"So now what is more important to you? Trying to chase after a woman who gave the poison to the one you love or trying to save her with the poison's antidote?"

Aoshi began to think of the various possible herbs for a cure. "What does she have?"

"Paralysis poison."

Again he closed his eyes, fearing the worse. "What type?"

"Kodoku."

Kodoku was a poison difficult to cure because the herbs used for its medicine was rather scarce and few. Only a few knew the true sources of the antidote, and most of the time they kept those secrets to themselves.

"There's a much faster way to find the cure," Ikumi added as soon as she saw the hope die in Aoshi's eyes. "But it's much more dangerous than finding the herbs themselves."

"...Finding the headquarters. But how..."

"I can ask Ryu. He should know where it is." She paused. "It's your choice, oniichan."

Ikumi began to walk away, back into the trenches of her own world and leaving her brother to ponder about is, before Aoshi stopped her.

"Matte, Ikumi."

She stopped in mid-step and turned around.

"You're hiding something from me. What really happened to you when you came here? You never explained what happened to Fei and how Setsuko arrived."

Ikumi smiled back at her brother, a smile that reflected upon the years of pain and melancholy she faced. "Let's just say that I have a grudge against Rokou as well, oniichan. I don't want you to waste your life away if Misao dies as it happened to me upon Fei's death."

back to the present

What really had happened to his precious little sister, he hadn't really found an answer for. When he encountered Ryu and then Jun later that day, they were both reluctant to explain. 

**I don't want you to waste your life if Misao dies as it happened to me upon Fei's death...**

When she said those words to him, she had pointed and proven that he loved Misao dearly. It was more than what he had told himself to believe, told himself to hide away from his heart. He realized that Misao was the only thing that separated him between the sane and insane. The light and the dark. What would he do if she was gone? He was too afraid to know. All that mattered now to him was to save her....and save himself.

And by all means he would find a way.

Aoshi stood from his seat and blew out the candle in the room, grabbing his ni-kodaichi. He finally had a goal to focus on now, and he was determined to keep that goal alive.

He would fight for Misao, until death. 


	18. Two Lives, One Survivor Part One

Another Long Author's Notes!!

*sheepish laugh* Hahahahaha....it's been a while, yes? Well, I guess you can say that I got into a sort of writer's block. Then my twin, AyanamiChan, showed me this website: . Gaia is VERY addicting, let me tell you ^^;;; And it's the final weeks before I leave high school and enter college as well, so there's been a lot of mess and stuff before my ACTUAL graduation. Then there's my school's anime club ^^. Was very busy trying to organize a trip to AnimeExpo this July, which turned out pretty well...now I just gotta figure out how we're going to get there ^^. But yeah...I guess these excuses don't mean much....so, I made 3 new chapters out of my writer's block slump!

Oh yes...this chapter is split into two parts, so it won't be so long that your eyes will hurt. Although...17.5 is a little longer than usual...but ah, you get the picture, ne?

DISCLAIMER: You know them, so why do I have to continue to say them?? Oh um...this was on the first chapter, I think, but to remind ya ~ there will be some _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_ influence in this chapter and in some others...

Chapter Seventeen ~ Two Lives, One Survivor

The Green Destiny, a sword so often sought for yet only one person would be its master. A sword that caused so much trouble for him to let go ironically returned to his hands. Ryu looked back at his own reflection in the sword that was once his own. He despised the marred face that the intricate jade patterns reflected back, despised the picture that he now held because of a life-threatening accident two years past.

_So why am I holding this now?_ he asked himself. Funny, he had found the weapon by accident. It was partially hidden in a bag at the corner of his and Ikumi's room and still in perfect condition despite its limited usage. The paper-thin blade was still sharp, still able to bend into the most unusual shapes and flip back into its original position. He took a couple of practice swings before staring into the blade again. The sword stared back at him, waiting patiently for its true master to continue the broken routine. He imagined his enemy in front of him, attacking, and slipped around to parry back. Jumps, flips, twists, and eye boggling combinations; he performed all these as if he hadn't fought a day without the Green Destiny. It was his sword, after all, and the weapon's true master.

"You still can't forget it, can you?"

Ryu stopped in mid-slice and turned around the face the owner of the voice. Ikumi sat behind him on a ledge with a faint smile on her face. She released her hair out of the braid's hold and let it spill gently across her shoulders before curling into the edges of her waist. She wore loose sleeping garments made out of silk, and it reflected the moon's rays. Ryu hesitantly smiled back before tearing his eyes away from his wife's entrancing form and stared back into the mirror of the blade.

"I can't believe that you still kept it," he managed to reply.

"Maa," Ikumi murmured as she hopped off the ledge, "I felt that I had an obligation to. Yoshimori-san wouldn't accept it anymore, afraid of somebody stealing it again, and I didn't want to forget."

Ryu sheathed back the sword and approached her. He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and held her close, taking in the sweet lilac scent of her hair.

"Setsuko?" he asked.

Ikumi couldn't help but giggle and rested her head in the crook of his neck. "Sleeping like a rock. Daijoubu, I've got 'Mommy''s instinct and Oniwanbanshuu ears to see if she wakes up."

Ryu couldn't help but smile above her before asking the inevitable question, "You haven't told him what happened, have you?"

He could feel her body tense a little against him. "How do you know?"

"Aoshi-san was asking me about it earlier, but I thought it was best for him to hear it out of you. You're his sister after all."

"Sou..." Ikumi replied in a soft whisper.

"Iku, he's going to find out eventually," he reasoned with her. "He's going to want to know how you know so much and he so little."

"I know; I'm just afraid," she paused. "I just hope that he makes the right decision about all of this."

Ryu sighed and pulled his wife even closer to him. "You think about others too much, you know that?"

in some other place, somewhere far from the school

A woman's cruel, mocking laughter echoed in the hallways of the empty temple. A wolf feasting on its prey lifted its head and wondered to itself where the source of the laughter was. Nakamoto Miyuki turned around to face her twin sister as her laughter ceased and was replaced by yet another mocking smile. Sai became irritated by the smile, glaring back at her sister.

"What the hell are you smiling about?" she growled. Out of all the times her sister had to be here, it had to be just right after an almost failed mission.

"Maa, maa, my dear twin," Miyuki replied in a sarcastic tone, "I never knew that you had the guts to do something that I would've had done right when I was given the assignment."

"Shut up. Unlike you, Miyuki, I would have rather gone for the kill. It makes life much easier for me."

"So then why didn't you?" Miyuki asked with the smile still on her face. 

"Shinomori came in," Sai simply replied and looked away. "And...there was also a child there. A little girl."

"And because you saw the little one, you hesitated," Miyuki concluded, shaking her head. "What a pity."

Sai whirled around and a harsh slap echoed in the temple. A red hand print stained her sister's face from where her hand had been.

"I'm so very sorry, my DEAR little sister," Sai growled in anger and grabbed the collar of her sister's kimono," but I don't like to think lowly upon the innocent when I had never experienced a day--a DAY--for the past fifteen years in which I wasn't harmed by a man who set eyes upon me while you were at home in Japan, naive to the chaos of the world."

Miyuki didn't dare speak out another one of her catty remarks, not wanting to provoke her twin any further. She understood Sai's reasons and her cruel past, but she did not pity her. Miyuki pitied no one, even if the person tortured was her own twin sister. Sai knew this and released her tight hold to turn back and look out at the window and the vast wilderness around her, a scenery that contrasted the dark memories of her past. She wished to be free, free from the chains that bounded her to the Azuma clan. A tense silence lingered between them; Sai never really got along with her twin sister.

"She'll die within a few days, anyway," Sai finally said to break the silence. "Unless Shinomori Aoshi either miraculously finds this temple or the antidote."

"We had a spy in our ranks; it is possible that he'll find us," Miyuki informed her in a soft whisper.

Sai let out a low, sinister chuckle. "Oh, is that why you're here besides to annoy me? Like you can do anything besides being a nuisance to me and a whore to my men."

Miyuki bristled at the comment, her golden brown eyes narrowed into thin slits. "You botched up the mission with that ruckus at the school. It's also HER school."

"So? I'm not perfect as what our Okashira wants me to be, but I always clean up my own messes. I doubt that Shinomori is THAT dangerous. Surely, Rokou-sama can dispose of him easily so why does he have to play these little mind games and using us?" Sai questioned her sister.

"You know that Rokou-sama will hear about this," Miyuki warned. 

"Like I care, Miyuki. I only follow orders because of my ties to you and my debt to the Azuma. What the Okashira thinks about me is not my problem."

Without another word, Sai jumped out of the window and into the wilderness, free from her worries of the Azuma clan and her twin sister's presence. Miyuki watched her go, clenching her fists in anger. _It's impossible to change your mind._

Wandon School

Aoshi strode down the hallway with only one purpose in mind: to find a way to save Misao's life. He still wasn't quite sure how to do so; his usually well-organized thinking process was missing since the moment he had admitted to himself that he loved Misao. 

He spotted the door to his sister's room slightly ajar and peered in only to find his little niece sleeping peacefully in bed, hugging a stuffed animal tightly. He inwardly smiled at the sight of Setsuko and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He could hear murmurs of his sister and her husband not far away but decided not to disturb them. Instead, he headed to Misao's room which was the only room with a dim light peeking through he rice paper windows. Ling was sitting on a chair next to Misao's bed, meditating, but she opened her eyes when Aoshi entered. A small smile appeared on her face, but he could tell that the master was weary from the hours before.

"So you finally decided to come here," she said to him in a quiet voice. "Has Ikumi-chan spoken to you?"

He hesitantly nodded in reply and took a few more steps deeper in the room, not quite sure what to say. Ling silently watched him before her eyes settled upon the long sheath in his hand.

"You know, you don't have to bring them," she commented, taking on a slightly amusing tone. "Your ni-kodaichi. You didn't have to bring them."

Aoshi shrugged off the comment as he took a seat at the table, setting the sheath down. "I...feel more comfortable with them."

"Is that so? Or do you fear for Misao-chan's safety?" she simply pointed out before breaking eye contact with him to look at Misao's sleeping form next to her on the bed. Misao's breathing was still quicker than usual for one to be fast asleep and perspiration glistened on her forehead. Her cheeks, thing from the past few days of little food, continued to burn a light pink as her fever continued.

"Once Jun-chan and I were able to keep Misao-chan still, Jun was able to give her an alternate antidote," Ling continued. "It has slowed down the poison's journey, but we're not sure how long it will last without giving Misao-chan the real antidote."

Aoshi nodded, studying the older woman. Every time he looked at her, a memory would flash by. She looked vaguely familiar to him, but Aoshi wasn't quite sure why yet.

"You...speak with an Osaka accent," he noticed. Ling turned to look at him, a bit surprised.

"I was born there...why do you say so?"

"My mother spoke with one before she died."

"Sou ka...Ikumi-chan told me that as well. Maa, what do you want to ask me? I can see by the look in your eyes, you want to know about something."

Aoshi finally looked at Misao; a deep pang of guilt tore at his heart. Ikumi's words rang back in his head.

**_I don't want you to waste your life away upon Misao's death as it had happened to me upon Fei's..._**

"My sister...what happened to Ikumi two years ago?" he asked as he tore his eyes away from Misao. "It's been twelve years since the day she was kidnapped; I...thought she died. How did she end up here and what is she hiding from me?"

Ling smiled a bit sadly back at him and nodded. "Ikumi-chan suffers the same pain as you do. You both have the same eyes, the same emotions flooding through them."

Aoshi looked at her with a tinge of curiosity in his eyes, but he let Ling continue. 

"I was the one who found your sister: saved her from the inevitable torture that the Azuma clan would have put her through," Ling began. "We happened to be on the same ship; I used to work at the docks as more of a hobby than anything. You hear a various amount of information given there. I heard Ikumi-chan screaming and crying as she tried to break free from one of the swordsmen's hold where a small group of pure bred Azuma gathered. Of course I didn't know they were Azuma, but I was curious and approached them. That was when Ikumi-chan bit into her captor's arm," she chucked in remembrance, "and ran behind me, saying that her captors were 'bad people' and kidnapped her to get back at the Okashira."

"What did you do?" he interrupted. The thought of Ikumi back then using her persuasion to get away certainly fit his description of her.

"I asked the men, of course, what was going on, but they said to mind my business," Ling replied. "Back then, I just earned the title of 'master' and had a bit of a short fuse on my temper, so I pretty much tossed them all out into the ocean." She finally noticed Aoshi's astonished look and laughed. "Surprised, I see? Sou, I'm a much different person now than I was twelve years before. Ikumi-chan was what turned me into who I am now. She's more of a daughter than a former pupil."

Aoshi arched a curious eyebrow.

"Anyway, when I brought her back to the school, that was when she met Ryu and Fei. They were students of _my_ former sensei before he had passed away. Those three...they were inseparable. Ikumi-chan learned the ways of the Wandon school from me and the Cantonese language from Ryu and Fei. The other masters of the school decided, after around five years since she arrived here, that she and Fei would be wed. Fei was around Ryu's age and very troublesome." Ling shook her head. "Both Ryu and Fei would get into some kind of trouble in the city and Ikumi-chan had to bail them out; it was always like that until Fei's death." She paused, wondering how to put the next memory into words. "The Azuma somehow found Ikumi-chan and got into a scuffle with her, Fei, an d Ryu while out in the city. Fei...was struck with a poison dart during the fight, but he shrugged it off as if it was nothing. He didn't want to worry Ikumi-chan, but...he died in her arms the next day before she or Ryu could find the antidote."

Aoshi silently nodded, closing his eyes. The same, her fate was the same as his. To witness someone you knew well die right before your eyes and yet you could do nothing, it was the same.

"Ryu and Ikumi-chan separated after that. She helped me run this school while he went on a training journey," Ling finished. "Three years later, he returned from his journey only to give up his sword, the Green Destiny, and well...more trouble stirred when Jun stole it."

Aoshi opened his eyes, a bit surprised. He saw Jun as a well-tempered doctor and a close friend to Ikumi, not as a thief. "Nani? What do you mean?"

"Maa, it's getting late," Ling changed the subject. "You should be getting some rest for tomorrow. Ryu should show you where Kai Xuan is hiding."

"I can look after Misao," Aoshi suggested, ignoring Ling's sudden change of subject, "so you can sleep."

"Arigatou, but I'll be fine, Aoshi-kun," she declined. "From what I've seen so far, you wouldn't sleep a wink." She stood up from her seat and shooed him out of the room much to his silent protests. "Now go and sleep, Aoshi. You must keep up your strength for yourself and Misao on tomorrow's journey."

_Tomorrow's journey? So they've found..._ Aoshi's thoughts trailed off as he once again stood in front of the door to Misao's room, the light shining through the screens. The light represented hope; hope for him to redeem himself.


	19. Two Lives, One Survivor Part Two

AN: Okay, here's part two of chapter 17!! It may be a bit long (as it's longer than the usual chapters), but hey, that's bad for me to type it up and not for you, ne?

Chapter 17.5 ~ Two Lives, One Survivor (Part Two)

How many lives must be destroyed before life itself was destroyed? Why couldn't others see that there were other alternatives than fighting?

Misao wandered through the darkness with a blind guide, not knowing where she was or what she was doing. She didn't understand anything that was happening at all except for one thing: this was not her time. The mourning of the living and the screams of the dying were heard everywhere, surrounding her like a bubble not yet ready to burst. People running for their lives ran though her as if she didn't exist. Perhaps she really didn't --- or she wasn't even born just yet.

_What's going on? _she asked herself. _What is this place?_

"Okaasan, is it over yet?"

She turned around to see two forms huddled in a corner in what seemed to be an underground hideout. A young boy barely eight years of age curled against his pregnant mother's side who in turned seemed intent on listening to the screams above. 

"Ssh, not yet, Ao-chan, not yet," his mother replied in a soft voice, her features obscured by the darkness. Thick ebony hair was tied loosely in a bun.

Misao knew that voice and stepped closer. "Ling-san?"

The two people didn't hear her, which was what Misao seemed to get most of the time in this horrid, chaotic darkness.

"Is otousan going to be back soon?" the boy asked, staring up at his mother with unusually calm ice blue eyes. Misao couldn't help but gasp in recognition. She knew that face...

"I don't know, Ao-chan, I don't know..." his mother replied; her head unconsciously went to the her swollen stomach and pulled her son closer to her.

Although he was just a boy, she could still recognize him. He hadn't changed, not one bit.

"Aoshi-sama..."

Wandon School ~ early morning

Ikumi let out a yawn as she stepped out of her room to greet the morning with Setsuko in her arms. The two and a half year old was still quite sleepy, rubbing her eyes for a minute only to wrap her arms around her mother's neck and sleep some more. Despite how early it was, there were other activities already bustling about in the school that disturbed the peaceful, silent atmosphere of the mountains.

"Ara? Oniichan, you're outside early," Ikumi greeted her brother with mild surprise. Aoshi was dressed in his typical uniform after a day in the Chinese clothing, and he was preparing to leave.

"I just needed some fresh air," he replied in a somewhat dull tone. Ikumi could see that her brother's mind was elsewhere. 

"Fresh air?" she repeated, slightly confused. She continued to watch him as he slipped in some shurikens in his sleeve, wondering what her brother was worried about. Aoshi had stopped when he realized she was watching him.

"Nani?" he asked with curious eyes.

However, Ikumi shook her head and adjusted Setsuko in her arms. "Nothing. Just wanted to say that I'm not coming with you today. We're here to see you guys off."

Aoshi stared at her, not surprised, and began re-lacing the hilt of his kodaichi. "Sou ka..."

A wry smile curled on Ikumi's lips. "And I thought you'd be surprised. Did Ryu tell you earlier?"

"Ie, I kind of expected it. You have Setsuko-chan to take care of and---"

"You're entrusting Misao-chan to me." She smiled again at the surprised look on his face. "You can be as easy to read as a book sometimes."

"I take that as a compliment."

"Oh ho, my brother is actually being sarcastic for once?" Ikumi asked with mock surprise. "I think my influence is beginning to rub off on you, even after twelve years."

Aoshi gave his sister the slightest hint of a smile before focusing his mind back onto the subject. "You have something else to say..."

Ikumi sighed, knowing that it was impossible to hid the truth from him. "Although we're giving her everything we have to impede the poison's progress, Misao-chan doesn't have that much time. She's already...starting to hallucinate, mumbling things that don't mock much sense. So..."

Aoshi, being much taller than her, patted Ikumi on the head like how head used to when they were still children. "I'll try, Iku, I'll try."

Ikumi couldn't help but laugh, swatting away Aoshi's hand from her head. "Geez, I'm not a little kid anymore, oniichan; you can do that to you niece."

"I guess you can say that I'm trying to ignore the fact that you're married and happy while I'm not."

"Now don't you go saying that you're not happy! Didn't you ever realize that denying your happiness was a bad thing?" She paused. "Isamu-kun is coming along with you and Ryu as well. Daijoubu, he's very resourceful when it comes to stealing."

Aoshi arched an eyebrow at the comment. He could barely remember the younger man's face. "I'll...take your word on that."

Azuma HQ ~ Kyoto area

Miraimoto Rokou crushed the piece of paper he had in his hands as the messenger behind him trembled in fear. His okashira was not one to be in the same room with when angry.

"That stupid little bitch!" he growled and paced the floor to grab a nodaichi in his collection. "I should have killed her on the day I found her in Shanghai."

He spun around towards a statue and sliced it in half with the nodaichi. The messenger flinched at the noise when it shattered into pieces, and he instinctively jumped away from the tip of the seven foot long weapon. Rokou turned around, facing the messenger and aimed the nodaichi at him.

"You," he ordered in a voice as cold as ice. "Send this message to Miyuki: kill her sister. I don't care how se does it nor the consequences; I want Sai dead."

"B-but, Rokou-sama...Sai has been a loyal servant to the Azuma clan," the messenger tried to explain.

"She may be loyal, but underneath that false loyalty lies hatred. The hatred she has towards her own clan will lead her to give the antidote to Shinomori to save that whore of a woman of his," Rokou calmly explained. "Do I make myself clear?"

The messenger reluctantly bowed at his okashira. "Hai, Rokou-sama."

Misao's situation

She didn't know where she was; time was flying right before her eyes. Misao ran out as fast as she could to catch up with the young Shinomori Aoshi who was carrying Ikumi and running away from a group of bandits. No matter what she tried to help them, she was nonexistent.

"Doushite?!? Why are you showing this to me?!?" she screamed at the darkness above her. "If this is Aoshi-sama's past, then why are you showing this if I can't help him?!?"

**It is to show you WHY Aoshi-sama hides form you, Misao-chan, **a familiar voice replied in the darkness.

Aoshi had tripped over his own feet and twisted his body just in time so to not injure the one year old Ikumi from the fall. He was tired, breathing heavily with tears in his eyes, as he vainly tried to soothe Ikumi's cries. The bandits had caught up to them and one raised his weapon above his head ready for the kill when...

Misao looked above her, the familiar husky voice haunting _her _memories.

...the bandit suddenly had no arms. A whirlwind swept through the small group, each and every man screaming in pain as the sharp edges of the kodaichis sliced through their bodies. The assailant glared at the last man to fall by her hands, breathing heavily and blood staining her well-kept kimono. She dropped the ni-kodaichi in her hands and ran to her children, picking them up.

"Ao-chan, hurry, we have to hide," she demanded as gently as possible.

"Who are you?" Misao asked the darkness, not wanting to play guessing games. 

**I have taken care of you ever since your grandfather's death, Misao-chan_, _**the voice replied.

Misao's eyes widened as it hit her. Tears began to fill her eyes as the action around her continued. "Hannya-kun..."

Wandon School ~ Misao's room

"Hannya-kun..."

Ling's head snapped up at the sound of Misao's voice and quickly went to Misao to feel her temperature. _Fever's down a little. _

"Misao-chan, what did you say?" she softly asked the young, poisoned woman.

"Hannya-kun, I thought you died...," Misao softly cried as tears fell from her closed eyes, "...you protected Aoshi-sama..."

"Hannya..." Ling softly repeated the name as she wiped away Misao's tears. Her mind slowly drifted back to memories locked away in her heart.

on some trail to Sai's hideout

Isamu let out a yawn of boredom while he, Ryu, and Aoshi rode on horseback along a hidden mountain trail unknown even to him. Nobody seemed to want to speak, which was something that Isamu could not stand. Silence was something that he abhorred.

"Oi, how much longer till we get to this place?" he asked to break the silence. 

"'This place' is a little detour," Ryu calmly explained; he was used to the younger man's antics. "Knowing what nay Azuma member would do, they'll be on the lookout for us."

"How long will taking this...detour take?" Aoshi asked. Time was running low for Misao; they all knew this. 

"Maa, depending on how fast we can get through there, pretty quickly," Ryu replied. "It's a pretty short and straightforward path if no distractions appear."

The last comment was addressed to Isamu who had not yet gotten it through his head for a few minutes until,

"Hey, have some faith in me, will you?" he blurted out, feeling betrayed. "I've changed the past few years."

"Sure and the restaurant was a good example of how you 'changed'," Ryu replied just as casually.

Aoshi remained silent, amused. _He reminds me of Himura-san's rooster head friend._

"That was only one mistake!" Isamu tried to explain without thinking. "If you were here the last two yea---"

He stopped himself once he saw the look on Ryu's face, but Isamu was too late. The damage had been done.

The trio faced the remains of what used to be a beautiful and sacred temple, but time had not been so gentle. The temple had been disturbed by gypsies and bandits who used the building as a safehouse form the local authorities who were on the hung for them. The three men got off of their horses, and Ryu approached the shrine's entrance. Two disfigured statures stood in front of the entrance as if to guard what was left of its property. Ryu approached one of the statues and examined it to make sure that its secrets had not been discovered. He then tapped its hollow right eye and turned to his companions behind him.

"Isamu, do you still have that jade Jun gave you?" he asked.

"Yeah...what do you need it for?" Isamu asked and sifted through the inside pocket of his shirt.

Ryu just smiled. "You'll see."

"How do you know of this place?" Aoshi asked him as Isamu handed over a small jade stone.

"Your sister, Fei and I used to play around here as children," Ryu explained and inserted the stone into the right eye. He took a step back as the ground trembled beneath them. The statue sunk to the ground to reveal a passageway. "Although I didn't know until I came to the Azuma that it led to one of their safehouses. Sai should be residing at the end."

They jumped down into the passageway where torches lit the way, unusual for an escape route that had not been used in many years.

Isamu let out a low whistle. "Che, somebody's kept this place up."

"They've probably been expecting us for a long time," Ryu murmured as he led the way to disarm the traps.

_Or they've been waiting for escape, _Aoshi thought otherwise.

As the trio ventured further and further into the passageway, they began to notice a strong, rustic stench filtering in the stale air. Each step they took, the stench got stronger, almost to the point where it became unbearable. Each man knew that stench, that _smell_, from the dark years spent on the death of another: blood. A foreboding feeling slowly began to surface in Aoshi's heart. Something was wrong; the air just didn't feel right.

At the end of the tunnel lay Nakamoto Sai in her own pool of blood.

Misao's situation

"Hannya-kun..."

The former Oniwanbanshuu ninja, the master of disguise, the man who dared not reveal his face to anyone but himself, stepped out of the darkness that held him away from the light. Misao couldn't help but let the tears escape from her eyes. Hannya stood where he was as Misao slowly walked towards him, hand outstretched and trembling. When she finally reached him, Misao finally let herself cry on his shoulder like times of old. Hannya tried to comfort her, brushing away the stray strands of hair that clung to her damp cheeks.

"Hannya-kun...I thought you died," she murmured.

"I did, Misao-chan," he replied. "I protected Aoshi-sama for you."

"...You protected Aoshi-sama...?" she repeated. The words seemed as if they were a part of a dream.

Then the impact of the words hit her, and Misao looked back up at Hannya who seemed to fade away from her grasp for a moment before rematerializing. Her care taker was...

"Uso..." Misao uttered out.

"I am no longer a part of this world, Misao-chan," Hannya explained as he faded back into the darkness.

"Matte, Hannya-kun!" Misao called out to him only to fall into the light.

(AN: Sorry to interrupt, but the following is my rendition of episode 11, or chapter 28 in the manga...I mixed the two together)

A memory ran past by Misao's eyes. Gunfire ran around her; the sound of a man's maniacal laughter echoed in the grand foyer. She saw blurs of colors around her, running away from the bullets that hailed on them. Misao cringed as the bullets flew in her direction, but of course they went through her body as if she had never existed.

"What the hell?!?" He's just shooting randomly on purpose!" she heard Sanosuke's voice yell.

_Nani? What's going on? Why do I hear the rooster head?_ she wondered.

A flash of red hair swept past. "Himura?"

"The strongest one is ME!!" an unfamiliar voice cried and continued to laugh.

_Chotto matte...masaka..._

She turned around to see the bullets fly in Beshimi's direction. Her heart stopped. Just before Beshimi could be hit by the gunfire, Aoshi shoved the shorter man out of the way only to find himself get shot down by the bullets. Time seemed to have stopped as he crashed to the marble floor, clutching his bleeding legs. The man with the gatling gun laughed hysterically.

"Kanryuu! Why are you doing this?!?" Hannya demanded.

Misao's legs faltered as she sunk down. "Takeda...Kanryuu..."

She was witnessing the beginning of Aoshi's fall to chaos.

Wandon School ~ Misao's room

Jun squeezed out the excess water from the cloth and placed it back on Misao's forehead. 

"...stop it..." Misao whimpered in her nightmare, her cheeks flush with fever. She unconsciously grabbed Jun's hand who gently pried it off and set it back in its original place. Jun let out a heavy sigh, looking out the window. The mist had not yet cleared, and she prayed that the others would get the antidote and return safely. Time was running out.

Daidoji Temple ~ Azuma safehouse, underground

Isamu quickly ran to Sai's body and checked to make sure that she was alive. The source of her wound came from a deep slash across her neck, but it had not yet reached bone. He turned to Aoshi and Ryu.

"She's still alive," he said in surprise.

"It's typical..." Ryu muttered as he and Aoshi stepped into the clearing. "But why would they take her out so soon?"

Sai slowly began to regain consciousness as Isamu administered to her wound. In doing so, the impact of her injury shot through her nerves, causing her to cough up her own blood.

"Oi, don't try to struggle, Kai Xuan," Isamu warned her. He gently lifted her head and wrapped a makeshift bandage around her throat.

"You...still call me...Kai Xuan," Sai replied in a hoarse whisper. "Even...after what...I've done."

"You never betrayed us, Kai Xuan," Isamu countered. "Students of the Wandon can always redeem themselves."

Aoshi knelt down beside the injured woman as Ryu warily looked around the clearing. As always, he was one to show no emotion, no sympathy. All that Aoshi wanted was the facts.

"Who did this to you?" he asked her.

Sai didn't reply immediately; she only stared into his eyes while painstakingly searched through the inner portion of her shirt. She finally took out a small pouch that had the insignia of the Azuma sewn into it, handing the pouch to Aoshi. He looked at the pouch then back at her questionably. She just smiled.

"My...betrayal to...Azuma," she whispered before closing her eyes into the sleep she had waited for.

Isamu quickly checked for a pulse; it was still there but barely. He silently nodded to them.

"Let's get out of here, then," Ryu announced.

As Aoshi stood back up while Isamu carried the unconscious Sai, something caught the corner of his eye. The very little light that glowed in the room reflected off something metallic like just above him on a ledge not fare from their position. When he turned around, the kunai struck his shoulder, sending him back one step. Ryu and Isamu went on their guard, looking around for the enemy. A woman's sadistic laughter echoed above them, hidden in the shadows.

"You won't be able to escape alive, I'm afraid," the woman's voice sweetly called. "You're pathetic, my dear sister."

"Sister?" Aoshi repeated, taking out the kunai that had dug deep within his shoulder. For some odd reason, his vision had begun to blur. He took a glance at his "comrades". Isamu did not look prepared to fight with Sai on his back and Ryu was cautiously pacing around, searching for the voice's owner.

"Miyuki, why don't you just get this over with?" Ryu asked, drawing his weapon.

Silence remained his answer for a few moments; Miyuki was surprised that he had known it was her.

Then she realized, "...You are the traitor."

Ryu smiled. "I was never a traitor to begin with. More like a spy."

Miyuki laughed. "So that's how you three arrived here so easily. However, the search only ends here."

Aoshi blinked a few times to clear his vision as ninja circled around them. Sweat dripped down his face and his muscles ached. He was determined to fight them off. _What is wrong with me?_

"Try to find which mask I hide behind, if you can," Miyuki dared.

Weapons drew themselves out from their sheaths and the blood dance began.

Misao's situation

Misao helplessly continued to watch Aoshi's suffering, his inner torment. After Kenshin's departure, Aoshi had just remained where he was for a few minutes, quietly seething out his anger. He ignored the whimpers of Takeda Kanryuu, pathetic as they were, and clenched his fist so tightly that his nails pierced the skin and drew blood. Misao did not know what was going on in his usually calm mind, but she could guess. Part of him was torn, torn into the teenager he was before when Ikumi had been kidnapped eleven years before and the okashira he was now.

"What kind of a leader am I?" she finally heard him whisper in such a low voice that it was barely audible.

"Aoshi-sama..." Misao murmured, incapable of doing anything for him.

He lifted his head as if he had heard her, quickly glancing around the grand foyer to see if anyone was there. His eyes fell on the bodies of the four men whom he could truly call his comrades.

_They didn't deserve to die..._ his thoughts echoed in the darkness she inhabited. He struggled to stand up, ignoring the pain stabbing into his legs. He used his kodaichi as a support and slowly hobbled over to each of his comrades' bodies, swiftly slicing off their heads from their bodies and reverently carried them out of the hell that caused them to die.

His, however, had not ended there.

She continued to follow him, followed him out of the mansion, out of Tokyo, and out of society. He had taken the less inhabited route and quickly hid himself if somebody came despite his bad legs. Infection had come quickly; he hadn't bothered with bandages. Misao could see that Aoshi was struggling to keep awake as he used his kodaichi to dig out four holes to bury the heads of his four comrades. Beads of sweat dripped down his face; his breathing was labored, eyelids heavy with fatigue. Still, he tried to fight it and got himself standing upright once again to gather himself only to fall forward and stumble to the ground. He kneeled before the fresh graves a near death, leaning against his kodaichi as if it was the only thread of support he had left. Waves of emotion swept though his mind like a flood, but Aoshi dared not let it break, only concentrated on staying awake.

But even that could not let him fall into unconsciousness. Not able to watch anymore, Misao closed her eyes and let the tears fall.

"Please...stop it, I've seen enough..."

He lifted his head, hearing her voice. "...Misao?"

A bright flash of light appeared before Misao could do anything else, and she could see nothing. Nothing at all.

Daidoji Temple ~ Azuma safehouse, underground

The ninja surrounding the three men proved to be much harder than they had expected. These were not the lackeys, the disposable followers of the Azuma, that Miyuki had dispatched. Most were highly skilled ninja; masters at their element. Especially with Isamu hindered with Sai on his back, the fight turned out much harder than expected. Miyuki laughed sinisterly above her perch of safety. Ryu cursed to himself as he ducked under the sword arm of one assailant to block the strike of another. They were going to get nowhere if they continued to be cornered like a frightened rabbit trapped by a pack of wolves. He stole a look to Aoshi, who seemed to be faring well against them. However, Shinomori Ikumi's husband noticed that Aoshi's movements were slow, hindered by something not seen by the naked eye.

Too absorbed in his own thoughts, Ryu almost didn't see Miyuki leap out of her hiding place above him to attack in the midst of confusion. He blocked the tanto that flew towards his head, but he couldn't see her jump back to her hiding place and lopped off the head of one assailant that dared to use the distraction to an advantage. He turned to Isamu who was busy fending off the ninja with various kinds of kicks, using the wall to his advantage. Although it didn't cause any casualties, the kicks were powerful enough to break a couple of bones and rend the enemy unconscious.

"Isamu, get her out of here!" he ordered the young bandit over the clash of steel and screams of the dying.

"NANI?!?" Isamu asked in bewilderment. He side kicked one ninja coming towards him, hurling the bewildered ninja back into his comrades. He adjusted Sai on his back, wondering if the young woman was just asleep or dead.

"You heard what I said, get her out of here!"

A flash of red and Miyuki's scent filtered Ryu's nostrils. He turned around to see the woman head straight for Aoshi who was both target and holder of the medicine that would save the old Makimachi's granddaughter's life. Aoshi, in the midst of his fighting, had too sensed something coming behind him. He turned around, thrusting his second kodaichi forward while the other killed the last ninja behind him. Something hit in his blurred vision.

Metal sunk into flesh.

Drops of red dripped to the cold ground.

And Aoshi pulled back his weapons. Miyuki staggered back in surprise, her hand covering the wound that Aoshi's kodaichi just made, while the ninja behind him fell to the ground, split from head to toe. An explosion, smoke, and confusion filled the room. Aoshi could see the woman being carried away by someone in the smoke, the green eyes piercing into his own. Then, succumbing to the poison's taint, he fell into a sea of red.


	20. Family

Chapter Eighteen ~ Family 

Aoshi bolted upright in bed, eyes wide like a child filled with fear. Perspiration dripped down his face and brushed back his hair with the back of his hand, all the while trying to calm himself with deep breaths and muttering to himself words used to soothe him: It's just a dream, nothing but a dream...

He finally took notice of his surroundings. He was back in the Wandon School, in the room he inhabited, wearing the Chinese clothing again. The questions suddenly hit him: how did he get back to the school? Was all he remembered just a dream? And if so...was Misao all right? Alive?

The sound of the door opening stirred Aoshi out of his thoughts, revealing the intruder to only be the school's master, Ling. She seemed to be carrying a tray of soup, or medicine, he wasn't sure. As soon as she closed the door, she looked up to meet Aoshi's eyes, surprised. 

"Ara, you're awake," she greeted him, setting the tray on the table in the middle of the room. "Jun wasn't sure if you were going to make it in the condition that Ryu and Isamu brought you in; the poison acted rather quickly." She began to set the table, nimbly working her hands with the objects as if she had done so many times before. Ling ignored the questioning look on his face, patiently waiting for Aoshi to voice the questions. Although he was a grown man, she knew the young former Okashira too well, but the fact was her secret for now.

After a somewhat long period of silence, Aoshi inwardly sighed. The woman was too smart. "...How idd I get back here?"

Ling smiled as she finished setting the table, swinging the seat around and sat facing him. Whether it was a smile of triumph or satisfaction, Aoshi wasn't sure.

"About four days ago, Ryu and Isamu came back to the school, carrying you and Kai Xuan," Ling replied. She nodded at his unvoiced surprise. "They were exhausted from the trip, apparently some more of the Azuma had dispatched and chased after them for some time. We weren't able to scare the Azuma off, but I don't think it will be long until they return."

She spun around to get the bowl and a spoon, carefully handing it to Aoshi. 

"I went to tend to Kai Xuan while your sister and Jun began to treat you," she continued as he slowly lifted the spoon filled with the bowl's contents to his lips. "You were in a much worse condition than Kai Xuan; the poison in your body was the same that was given to Misao-chan, but it took much longer for it to affect you because of your size. However, the antidote you had on you certainly helped."

The sound of Misao's name made Aoshi looked up at the older woman as he sipped the soup in, but he let Ling continue, not wanting to let his concern to interrupt what had happened after he lost consciousness. 

"Your fever had come down after two hours, but you still remained unconscious. Or so I heard from Ikumi-chan. Kai Xuan recovered much more quickly than you, despite loss of blood and a small infection that developed from the open wound. She's back to normal now, but she can't speak anymore. Her vocal cords are forever severed by the cut, but she doesn't seem to mind," Ling concluded.

Aoshi set the bowl in his lap. Suddenly, fear rose in him again as the inevitable question came to him. He slowly looked back up at Ling, whispering, "Misao?"

Ling stared at Aoshi for a minute, taking notice of the meltdown of his emotional wall. She realized that Misao meant a lot to him, and he was finally admitting it to himself.

"Misao-chan is fine, Aoshi-kun," she answered reassuringly. "We used the remainder of the antidote on her, and she's recovering quite nicely. She's still a bit weak, though, and rests when she can or when we tell her to. Misao-chan's a strong girl, but you came with the medicine just in time. So...don't worry."

Aoshi nodded and inwardly sighed in relief. He was about to ask Ling another question, but his Oniwanbanshuu ears heard shouts outside. Ling had, too, heard it for she wasn't looking at him anymore.

"So they came back," she murmured more to herself than to him. She turned back to him, smiling and standing up. "Do you mind if I use your ni-kodaichi?"

Aoshi was taken aback by the question. He had never let anyone use his ni-kodaichi nor any of his weapons. However, again there was something about Ling that was familiar to him.

"Ie...I don't mind, but..." he slowly replied, watching Ling reverently lift the "long" weapon from its position against the wall.

"Oh, don't worry. I know how to use them," she interrupted him. "Although...it has been quite a while."

_Quite a while?_ he thought as he continued to watch her flip the sheathed weapon behind her like he had always done.

"Why do you need them?" he asked out of curiosity.

Ling looked at him again, still with the smile on her face. "Oh, you can say that I"m much more affiliated with the Oniwanbanshuu than you think. Besides, you're injured and still recovering while the rest of my students still have a long way to go. Ryu, Ikumi-chan, Isamu, Jun, and Kai Xuan cannot take on 150 skilled ninja on their own."

She left his room, adding, "And stay here and eat your food. You're still too weak from the poison."

Wandon School ~ main gate

They were surrounded. Well, not really, but the blur of black and red in front of him made Asarai Isamu dizzy.

"Kuso...what do we do now?" he asked to nobody in particular, feeling the tension in the air. "Take them all on?"

Kai Xuan shook her head while Jun held her husband back. Even without voicing out her opinion, a simple gesture from the former Azuma was enough.

"Kai Xuan's right, Isamu," Ikumi murmured, holding Setsuko close to her. "We can't take on that many, especially with all the injuries we had sustained last time. The majority are just students here, unlike us. They're not used to combat."

"Why don't the meanies go away?" Setsuko murmured mournfully in her mother's hair, turning her head away from the "scary" ninja before them.

"Because they don't want to give up, Set-chan," Ryu whispered soothingly to his daughter. One hand patted her head, the other was the hilt of the Green Destiny.

"Where is Shinomori?!?" a ninja, presumably the leader to Ikumi's eyes, shouted.

"Then what do we do now? We can't exactly just say 'we don't want to fight you' and assume they'll leave," Isamu whispered with annoyance.

"I'll take care of it," a voice replied behind them. Everyone turned around.

Ling walked down the hallway, carrying Aoshi's ni-kodaichi behind her. She looked like an innocent middle aged woman from afar, but Ikumi could see from her master's eyes that she was quite serious. A pathway separated for Ling as she approached closer, each student that moved whispered a word of deference to her.

"They have no right to invade the school with such force," Ling continued as she stopped just in the front of the steps, standing next to Ikumi. "If the Azuma want to try to break the Wandon school down, then they will have to go through the school's master." She glanced at Ikumi.

Understanding her look, Ikumi nodded and set her daughter down, whispering some words to her. Setsuko nodded happily and ran down the hallway.

"Children shouldn't be able to see the blood about to be spilled now," Ikumi announced to the students in Cantonese. "Follow my daughter and go back to your business. It's not your time to fight yet."

The other students of the Wandon stared at one another in confusion and then back at Ikumi, only to reluctantly nod with agreement and slowly filtered out down the hallway until every student disappeared. Ling stepped down the steps of the school, coming closer to the ninja. Wary of the miraculously calm woman approaching them, the group of Azuma took a step back. 

"What's Ling-sensei doing? Is she insane?" Jun whispered as she and the remaining others watched.

"I don't think so," Ryu replied, releasing the grip on his katana. "Ling-sensei knows more about the Azuma than we could ever know."

Ikumi turned to her husband, her face filled with curiosity. _What's he hiding from me?_

Wandon School ~ Plaza

Aoshi staggered through the hallways of the school, only to rest from time to time when someone was nearby. He was told to stay, but curiosity got the better of him and he forced himself out of bed and walk. He hadn't realized how weak his body was until the first few steps away from his bed and contemplated on just following Ling's orders but again decided against it. He had to know the true reason for Ling's use of the ni-kodaichi. As he finally reached the main hallway and to where Ikumi and the others stood, what he witnessed shocked him.

Wandon School ~ main gate

"I'm going to ask you one question: why are you here? This is a school that teaches martial arts, not war," Ling said to the ninja in front of her. "I have students who have been injured from your attacks and they are now resting from their usual activities because of it."

"You know who we want!" the ninja leader shouted. "Just hand Shinomori Aoshi over and you won't have to deal with us again."

"I don't house anyone of that name," Ling replied.

"Liar!" the leader exclaimed and gestured for the others to attack.

Ling calmly waited for the ininja above her to strike down, sighing to herself. "Ahou."

And the blood dance began. She removed the ni-kodaichi from its sheath, slicing upwards in a fluid motion and taking down two ninja in the process. Using the speed of the Wandon, Ling moved quickly to the middle of the ninja. She used both kodaichi to her advantage, taking down two ninja a piece with each stroke. The kodaichi's ability as an excellent defensive weapon also took into play, blocking one attack only to counter it with the other kodaichi in hand. From her shocked observers' point of view, it looked as if Ling was in a dance, using a mixture of the Wandon school and a bit of sword practice from her own past. In what seemed like a wind's passing, Ling had taken down all 150 Azuma ninja without a single scratch on herself.

later that day

Ling sat down with the rest of them, the people who had watched her effortlessly take down a large portion of the Azuma. Isamu and Jun sat at one end of the table, Jun's hand over her stomach and leaning against her husband for support. Kai Xuan sat next to Ling, eyeing the older master carefully. Ikumi, Ryu, and Setsuko sat on the other end. Ikumi didn't dare look at her husband, feeling betrayed by a secret that she didn't know. Aoshi sat next to his sister, watching Ling suspiciously as she sipped her tea.

"I suppose you want me to explain what exactly is going on," Ling said as she set down the cup of tea. "How I can use the kodaichi so well when I am just a mere master of the Wandon arts."

Silence answered. Ling sighed.

"My real name isn't Ling..." she began hesitantly, looking at Ikumi and Aoshi. "My real name is Shinomori Kachiko, your mother..."

AN: Uh...hehehe, you finally get to see that she tells the others! Ling, no Shinomori Kachiko, that is ^^. I'm thinking of writing a little prologue to this story, following the eyes of our newly revealed character, Kachiko, from her marriage to Aoshi and Ikumi's dad to her finding of Ikumi when Ikumi is around only 8 years old. Anyway, sorry for the lack of detail on the mini fight scene...but I wanted to make it as if "Ling" is a very strong fighter, which she is. So...yeah ^^;; Hope you liked it!


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